Chance Encounters
by Frootkake Productions
Summary: Darth Maul encounters an alien who catches his eye in a night club. As he gets closer, he realizes that she is more complicated than she seems. But that's not the whole story! No! 4 years pass, and Palpatine realizes that he needs her to unlock the greate
1. Good Times Gone

Chance Encounters

  


Disclaimer : I do not own Darth Maul, Sidious/Palpatine, the Star Wars universe and terminology, George Lucas and his crew do. The various other characters ARE mine, though, seeing as I made them up on my own. No, you will not find them anywhere else.

Note : Chapter 1 takes place before The Phantom Menace, and then the rest is afterwards in an alternate universe of my own creation. I couldn't REALLY leave Maul for dead, now could I?

  


He entered the tavern alone, pulled back his hood, revealing a crown of horns, and stood facing the guard collecting weapons.

"Please relinquish any sharp, pointy objects, blasters, lightsabres..." the guard's voice trailed off as he looked up at the new customer for the first time, at the red and black facial tattoos, the horns, and the yellow irises.

"I have no weapons," he lied calmly.

"You have no weapons," the guard agreed, hypnotized.

He passed the guard, a little dissatisfied with how easy it was to dissway him. He chose a table in the farthest corner from the door, one dimly lit.

When he was comfortably seated, he scanned the bar area for an appealing waitress, and settled on a slender Cyclopian female. He gave her a mental suggestion to wander over to his table, then waited, watching her approach.

She looked apprehensive, taking her notepad from the front pocket of her apron. "What kin I getcha, Sir?" she asked, her voice quivering.

The waitress did not look at him as he spoke, "Your finest bottle of Chryne."

His request caught her a little off guard, and she found herself replying, "Having a bad day?"

"No," his eyes twinkled with an unexpected amusement. "Why would you say that?"

She averted her eye again. "No reason."

"That's not what you wanted to say," he searched her thoughts for the reason. "Chryne does not intoxicate me," he grinned back.

"Okay, well, I'll be back soon with your order," she hurried away.

He wanted to throw his head back and laugh, but this was not the right place for that.

He glanced at the time piece on the wall, and wondered what the night's entertainment would consist of, but did not seek out an answer. He wanted to be surprised tonight, especially after the past week filled with rigorous training. Tonight was his night off, and he was determined to take advantage of his freedom.

As the waitress approached, he considered persuading her to find them a room in the back where they could be alone for awhile, but decided against it. For the time being, at least.

She set the bottle on the table before him, then a glass. "Is there anything else you need?" she asked him, as she pried off the cork.

"What's your name?"

Her manner changed at this question. She became herself again, independant and indignant. She placed the open bottle of Chryne on the table. "It ain't gonna happen, Bub."

"You don't want to tell me your name?"

"Not even," she turned to leave.

"Have it your way," he paused, probing. "T'Zodia."

She turned, her face pale. "Do I know you?"

He shook his head, an evil grin on his face that sent a shiver down her spine. She turned away, and hurried into the kitchen, where he couldn't see her with his eyes.

He poured himself a glass of the Chryne, sipped it gently, then reluctantly swallowed.

Hours passed, patrons came and went. He would have liked to follow some of the more muscular men outside, and practice what he had been taught by Master Sidious, over the past week especially, but he kept reminding himself that he was relaxing tonight. No fighting tonight. He smiled to himself. They wouldn't have been much of a challenge, anyway.

The band beside the bar finished their set, and moved to one of the tables. The lights dimmed, and music began filtering out of the overhead speakers.

"It's about time," he muttered to himself, finishing his fourth glass of Chryne, as a young female belonging to a race that he didn't recognize took her place on the stage across from him.

A spotlight illuminated above the stage, leaving the female bathed in its light.

She became the personification of the wordless music as she danced in smooth, fluent motions, gliding across the stage.

He watched, fascinated by her. He had seen many dancers in this tavern, spent nights with most of them, but this on was different somehow.

She moved just so, and held his gaze, a slight smile crossed her lips, exactly why, he was uncertain, and left it a mystery.

He sensed the five men enter the tavern, and their mischievous intent, but he ignored them, his full attention on the blue-skinned alien on the stage. He was hypnotized by her movements, and vowed to himself that she would not spend the rest of the night alone.

The tallest of the five men pulled out his blaster, and didn't hesitate to splatter the guard's brains on the wall. He was not fazed by this, however, and neither was the holder of his attention.

The short one shot out the spotlight, the shattered glass showering the dancer. She let out a curt scream, covering her head with her bare, blue arms.

He was infuriated by this action. He got up from his table, and strode over to the group of men, yellow eyes blazing with otherworldly hatred.

The short one was yelling at the bartender for a drink, waving his blaster at the frightened three-eyed alien.

He ignited one end of his double-bladed lightsabre, slicing through the short one's neck. "Get out," he ordered the bartender, as the short one's corpse slid to the floor.

The bartender nodded to the horn-crowned being standing before him, then he disappeared into the kitchen.

Many of the customers were trying to get to their nearest exit, terrified by the thought of death and violence in such a normally peaceful place.

"Hey!" the tall one shouted.

He turned angry eyes on him, observing the raised gun. "Are you going to try to use that, or not?" he demanded.

"Yes."

"Good."

He lunged at the tall one, igniting the other end of his lightsabre in time for it to burn a hole in the tall one's chest.

The other three men looked at each other in surprise, as their leader collapsed, dead, to the floor. The braver one unholstered his blaster, and got off a few shots, as his two companions fled the tavern. The shots were easily deflected, and the glowing red blade was the last thing the braver on saw, as it sliced mercilessly through his skull.

He stood over the corpse, watching the blood spill out of the braver one's head. He hadn't even broken a sweat, or needed to use his combat skills. He was disappointed.

"That was incredible," the female voice said.

He swung around, the glowing blade stopping inches from her throat. She threw up her hands in surrender, and took a comforting step back.

He recognized her as the dancer, and relaxed, retracted both blades. "You should have gotten out," he stated, placing the lightsabre back on his belt clip.

"And missed that?" she motioned to the bodies on the floor. She shook her head. "I'm glad I stayed. My name's Jareena," she extended her hand.

"Maul," he replied noncommittally, shaking her hand.

"Do you plan on finding anymore adventures, Maul?" she inquired, eyebrow arched, not releasing his hand.

"Maybe." Her unspoken suggestion had had nothing to do with him, and that was a first, not to mention a welcome surprise. "What kind of adventure did you have in mind?"

She smiled at him mischievously, leaning closer to him. "Follow me," she whispered in his ear.

He smiled at her, and she switched hands, leading him outside.

  


* * *

  


"Wait." Maul grabbed her wrist before she could swipe her keycard.

A devious expression came over Jareena's face. "You wanna stay out here for this? That would be an adventure."

He held her at arm's length, to stop her from kissing him. "No, it's something else."

She watched him, confused, as he examined the access panel. Maul already knew that it had been tampered with and that three men were inside Jareena's apartment waiting for her, but he didn't want her to grow too suspicious of him.

"What's wrong, Maul?" she asked him.

"Someone's been rewiring your panel," he replied, pointing to the loose wires hanging out the side. He sensed her fear as she backed away from the door. "You know who it is."

Her eyes met his, and he could read everything on her face. "Let's get out of here, Maul."

"Yes, let's," he agreed, taking her hand in his, and leading her away. An encounter with Raef Caylon was the last thing he needed, too. Raef knew Sidious, and would surely inform him of the company Maul was keeping, although he didn't doubt that Sidious already knew. Why Sidious had never brought it up, Maul was uncertain, but he would not be the one to do so.

Why Jareena would have made any kind of an ageement with a crime lord like Caylon, Maul could not comprehend. Sure, she had apparently needed the money, but she must have known that she would have to come up with her end of the bargain. Raef Caylon was not the kind of man one crossed.

They had crossed the street, and were turning down the first alley they had reached, when a shot from a blaster plowed into the brick beside Jareena's head.

"Reenie, baby, where are you goin', Honey?"

_I can't get involved in this_, Maul realized, backing into the shadows.

Jareena stood, rooted to the spot by her paralyzing fear. "Raef, I-"

"Where is it, Reenie? I've given you enough time, now, I want my statue."

"I-I haven't gotten it yet," she stammered.

Maul watched and listened intently from his hiding place in the dark. He knew that Caylon intended to kill Jareena. Now why did he feel obligated to help and protect her?

"Sweetheart, you've had plenty of time."

"I know, I'm sorry, I'll-"

"Now, your time is up," Caylon cut her off, as the other two men whom were with him pulled out their blasters.

_It's now or never_, Maul decided, leaping from his hiding place to land in front of Jareena.

He deflected both shots with his lightsabre, then waited to see what would develop.

"Darth Maul. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Caylon asked overenthusiastically.

Maul knew Caylon was being insincere, and that he was about to take his blaster out of its holster. "Get out of here, Jareena," Maul growled, not taking his eyes off Caylon's left hand.

"You better not, Reenie," Caylon cut in. "Wouldn't want anything to happen to you new friend, now, would you?"

The instant before Caylon moved to grab his blaster, Maul lunged at him, retracting one of the blades, and driving the hilt into Caylon's chin. Caylon fell back, and lay on the ground, stunned.

The pudgier of the two other men ran at Maul, yelling nonsensical words in another language. Maul spin-kicked him to the ground, before turning on the second man, who was firing at the spot Jareena had chosen to duck behind.

Maul kicked the gun out of his hand, then hit him in the back of his head with the hilt of his lightsabre. The man stumbled forward a few steps, then changed his form. His skin became scales, and he grew five feet taller.

Maul looked up at the shapeshifter's newly acquired form, contemplating where he should stab it.

The creature swung at Maul with a club-ended tail, missed the first couple of times, then managed to knock the lightsabre from his grasp.

Maul back-flipped, as the creature changed shape again, and focussed his mind on one of the blasters. As Maul regained his stance, the blaster glided to his hand. He caught the shapeshifter between the eyes with the first shot, then reached out for his lightsabre, tossing the gun aside.

Content that the other two were still unconscious, Maul returned his lightsabre to his belt as he went over to check on Jareena.

She was leaning against the wall of the building, hugging her knees.

He knew she was alright physically, but he felt it was appropriate to ask her, anyway.

"I've never been shot at before," she answered sullenly.

"You get used to it." He held out his hand to her.

Jareena looked up at him uncertainly. "I don't feel right about-"

"I'm offering, you're not asking."

"I'm sorry, Maul. I thought that if I gave you what you wanted that you'd help me."

"Steal the Statue of Ongrel?"

"Yes. But you should go now. I have to get off-planet as soon as I can." Jareena got up without taking Maul's hand.

"I have to help you. I don't know why, but the Force is willing me to."

"Why? You're not a Jedi, I heard Raef call you Darth. That makes you a Sith. And Sith are not obligated to help anyone. Especially me." She turned away from him, heading back to her apartment.

Maul grabbed her arm. "There's a bomb set in your apartment."

No sooner than he had spoken the words than the silence of the night was shattered by the explosion.

"Come with me, and I promise you will be safe."

"No one's safe from Raef."

"You will be with me," he replied sincerely.

Jareena took one last look at what was left of her home. "We'll see."

  


* * *

  


Darth Maul sensed that Raef Caylon was speaking with his master, Darth Sidious, about the previous night's encounter. He opened the door with the Force, aware that his Master was expecting him.

"Darth Maul," Sidious turned on him. "Raef has told me a fascinating tale about last night."

Maul looked Caylon straight in the eye as he said, "I'm sure he has."

"I see," Sidious told Maul telepathicly not to fight back, at the same time he realized that someone was behind him.

Maul did not turn to face the other man from the night before. Instead, he tried to read his Master's mind to discover the reason why he was not to fight back.

He found no answer because Sidious was concealing his thought from his apprentice.

Maul sensed that a metal rod was swinging for his shoulder blades, and he contemplated when to duck, then noticed his Master shaking his head disapprovingly.

So Maul accepted the blow that left him sprawling on the floor, willing the pain away.

"That's for killing Zay'Oo," Caylon informed him.

Maul sensed that Sidious had abandoned him to these thugs. He tried to get up, but again the metal rod came down on him, flattening him against the floor once more.

"What was that one for?" Maul asked indignantly, watching Caylon come out from behind the desk.

"That, my friend, was for knocking me unconscious," he stopped in front of where Maul was still lying on the floor. "Get up."

He knew that this wasn't a trick, but he turned and tripped the other man as he got up, anyway. He glared down at the man, yellow eyes burning.

"Oh, now see, that wasn't very decent of you," Raef hissed. "Especially after what you did to me last night. I lost a lot of money because of you," he paused, then added, "And Reenie."

"I'm sure she feels terrible."

"You're protecting her, Sir Maul. I don't know why, and I don't care. All I want is that Statue."

Maul knew what his next sentence would be. "I will not get it for you," he stated.

The man tightened his grip on the metal rod. Darth Sidious re-entered the room as Maul's hand grabbed for his lightsabre. Caylon gave his accomplice the stand down motion, then turned to face Sidious.

"Have you worked out an agreement then?" he asked, knowing full well that they had not.

"Let's just say that the cards are on the table," Caylon shrugged.

"I'll do the rest," Sidious replied. "Get out now."

Caylon bowed his head slightly, before he and his man exited.

Maul's glare would have burned holes into Caylon's back, if he'd known how to do it.  
"You can't," Sidious stated.

Maul shifted his gaze to his Master. "Why did you-"

"I don't owe you any answers," he snapped. "That was a very stupid thing you did, Darth Maul. Very stupid."

He watched his Master uncertainly. Sidious never paced. Not in front of his apprentice, anyway. Maul came to the conclusion that maybe helping Jareena had been a bad idea afterall. "What would you-"

"Do as Raef has requested."

"Petty thievery-"

"Do it, my young apprentice. I cannot afford to lose Raef's trust because of something you did." Sidious glared at Maul unforgivingly.

Maul sought out Caylon's mind to reassure himself that Jareena would be safe until he had a chance to talk to her.

"What is she to you, Darth Maul?"

"I am uncertain, my Master," he conceded, letting go of Caylon's mind, satisfied that Jareena was in no immediate danger.

"I can easily tell him where she is," Darth Sidious hissed.

"There is something about her, my Master. I cannot explain it. I had to help her last night."

Sidious stared at Maul for a long time before muttering, "I see."

Darth Maul watched his Master curiously, before figuring out that no more words were forthcoming. "Right," he muttered to himself, then bowed his head, and left.

"This isn't over," Caylon informed him, before he re-entered Sidious' office.

"No, I don't imagine it is," he mumbled to himself.

  


"So," Caylon began upon entering Sidious' office. "Where can I find my dear Reenie?"

"Not yet."

"Are you sure he'll do it?"

"Yes."

"Afterwards-"

"We shall see."

  


* * *

  


"Jareena," Darth Maul called into his apartment. "I need to talk to you."

"What about?" she inquired, sitting up on the couch.

Maul was well aware of the fact that she had been asleep prior to his entry. "The Statue of Ongrel."

"Why?"

"We are going to get it."

"We are?" she tied the pants-string around her waist. "No, I have to. You don't-"

"My Master has commanded me to help you," Maul replied matter-of-factly.

"That's not a good reason. I'm sorry, Maul. I dragged you into this, hoping that if I...oh, nevermind." Jareena shook her head at herself. "I'm going to leave. I was going to leave before you got back-"

"I know you were."

She gazed at him silently, before continuing. "But I wasn't expecting you, yet."

Maul watched her pace.

"I don't want you to ever think about me again, and especially don't use your Jed-Sith," she corrected herself, "powers to find me."

She opened the door, and Maul followed her out into the hall. She waited quietly, to make sure that no one was in the hall who might follow or recognize her.

"There is no one lurking about," Maul hissed in Jareena's ear.

She turned to face him. "Yes, there is."

Maul smiled, knowing she meant him. "I'm not lurking."

"Get back in there, you're not coming."

"You can't pull this off on your own."

"Of course I can!" she exclaimed, offended. If Maul had had an eyebrow, it would have been arched at her. "I don't want you to get hurt."

At this, Darth Maul laughed. "M'Lady, your concern is much appreciated, however my concern for you spurs me to tag along. We will watch each other's backs, and succeed in our mission."

"_My_ mission."

"Your mission that includes me."

"Apparently so," she admitted defeat. "Do you have a plan?"

"Follow me."

  


* * *

  


"Let me get this straight." Jareena put her hand on Maul's shoulder, and he stopped walking. "You want me to go after Ongrel, while you try to steal something else in hopes the guards will focus on you, and leave me alone."

"I don't hope."

"You are going to get killed." Jareena crossed her arms across her chest. "That is not acceptable."

"No one will know you are there, I will cloud their minds. I can hold my own, don't worry about it."

"Well, if you can 'cloud their minds', why don't I just walk in there, take the Statue, and walk out?" she arched her eyebrow at him, suspicious of his intentions.

Maul had thought of that, but he wanted a work out if he wasn't going to get any training in today.

_The easiest way is sometimes the best way_. Maul heard Sidious' voice in his head.

"I will go in alone, then," Maul said.  
"Maul, _my _mission. _I_ will go in alone. You will stay out here, and cloud some minds so that I don't get killed. And don't argue with me," Jareena told him.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he grinned at her.

Jareena took a deep breath, and reassured herself that Maul knew what he was doing.

"You've never done this sort of thing before, have you?"

"Just do that clouding thing, would you?"

Maul was seated cross-legged before she had finished talking. As he concentrated, he sensed another Force-strong presence: Sidious. He smiled to no one in particular, thankful that he wasn't trying to pull this off completely on his own. "Alright, go."

Jareena entered the small art gallery. Maul had been correct when he had figured she'd never stolen anything before-nothing like this-and she was afraid of the consequences. She stopped, and contemplated going back, but something urged her on.

She observed everyone she saw cautiously, expecting them to ask her if they could see her hand-stamp to make sure she had paid to get in, but not one person turned to observe her back. It was as if she didn't exist to them.

Jareena did not understand it, but somehow she knew exactly what room the Statue of Ongrel was located in. She went in a direct path to her prize, and took it from its perch in the spotlight. No alarms or funny looks followed the action, and she did not wait for any kind of delayed reaction.

"I got it," she told Maul.

"I know," he opened his eyes. "Head back to my apartment, and I'll catch up to you."

"What are you going to do?"

"Watch your back," he replied, getting up stiffly. He wrapped his cloak around her shoulders so that she could conceal the stolen Statue.

"Be careful," she told him, certain that he was going to involve himself in some form of physical violence.

Maul grinned at her. "Always. Now get as far away from here as you can."

Jareena gave in to the urge to kiss Maul on the cheek, before heading back to his apartment.

Maul waited until she was far enough away from the art gallery not to seem suspicious, before he went into the gallery himself.

  


* * *

  


Jareena sat on the couch in Darth Maul's apartment staring at the Statue of Ongrel that sat on the coffee table in front of her.

"Did I miss it doing tricks?" Maul asked upon his entry.

"Nope. If you move real slow, you may be able to catch it in the act of playing dead. Just don't scare it," Jareena didn't take her eyes off the Statue. "What's so great about this piece of junk, anyway? It doesn't even deserve its name; it's a pyramid, not really what I consider a 'statue'. I wouldn't have even known that this was what I was looking for if you hadn't helped me."

Darth Maul was caught by surprise by her last statement; he had not helped her, however he decided that it was best that she did not know that it had been his Master instead.

Jareena watched Maul, trying to figure out what he was thinking about behind those red and black tattoos. "It was you, wasn't it?"

Maul nodded, picking up the Statue of Ongrel. "It isn't what I picture as being a 'statue', either," he shook his head at it. "And it _is_ boring," he grumbled, turnind the completely gray pyramid over in his hands. It had no markings on its surface whatsoever.

"Well, whatever. Let's just give it to Caylon and get it over with," Jareena stood up, and headed toward the door.

Maul deliberated over telling her that Caylon intended to kill her, but she was already opening the door. "Jareena, no!" he yelled at her, using the Force to hide the statue in the next room.

Long, slender fingers closed around Jareena's neck, and her cry was cut off. She felt herself being lifted off the floor.

"Hello, Reenie," Caylon grinned up at her, standing beside the creature that was holding her. "Where's my Statue?"

"We don't have it, yet," Maul lied, using the power of his mind to possess the alien that held Jareena firmly in its grasp.

The alien growled in its native tongue, and Caylon laughed. Maul picked up quickly on the reason for their laughter, and chose to ignite his lightsabre. "Don't make me ask," he growled menacingly, eyeing Caylon's new friend.

"I wouldn't dream of it, my Sith friend. Let her down, D'Nu," Caylon told the alien.

D'Nu released Jareena, and she dropped to the floor coughing and sucking in air to fill her oxygen deprived lungs. D'Nu rumbled something, and Caylon shrugged nonchalantly in response.

Maul used the Force to lift Jareena off the floor and plop her down on the couch to his left.

"That was neat, Maul. One day, under different circumstances, I'd like to see that trick again," Caylon grinned deviously, entering the apartment.

"Strange. I thought vampires had to be invited in," Maul hissed, not taking his eyes off of Caylon.

"Touché. A Sith with a wit. Who would have thought."

"Who indeed."

Caylon sighed. "Oh, Maul. Let us stop this hostility. My men will remain outside, and you," he motioned nonsensically with his hand. "Put that thing away."

Maul read his thoughts, and found that Caylon meant what he had suggested. At the same time as he extinguished his lightsabre, Maul used the Force to close the door.

"Fantabulous." Caylon went to sit on the couch beside Jareena.

"Not there," Maul told him.

"As you wish." Caylon moved to the armchair across from the couch. "Your living quarters are surprisingly welcoming, Darth Maul," he paused, a look of mischief on his face. "You must be slipping."

Maul ignored the comment as he sat beside Jareena. She shifted farther away from him, mostly to give Caylon the impression that she didn't approve of Maul's helping her.

Caylon smiled briefly. He knew her better than that. Jareena was a snitch and a thief, and if Maul had fallen for her innocent victim act, then he deserved whatever double-cross she had planned for him. _He is slipping_.

"Maul, I know that you were lying when you said that you did not have my Statue of Ongrel. I was standing beside Sidious when he helped you two steal it. Despite this feeling of betrayal," he placed his hand over his heart for emphasis. "I am willing to give you another chance to hand it over to me." Maul glared back at him in silence. "Need I remind you that I am the one with back-up?"

"You call _them_ back-up?"

Caylon flat out scowled at him. "Where is it, Maul? This is Reenie's last chance."

"Just give him the damned thing," Jareena piped up finally.

Maul focussed his powers on the Statue, lying in wait in the other room. The gray pyramid glided through the air, then waited for Caylon to take it.

"Thank you," Caylon rose from the couch as he plucked the Statue out of the air. "We shall she each other again." And with that, he left Darth Maul's apartment.

"He meant you," Maul told Jareena, as she got up from the couch, after the door had closed behind Caylon.

"You don't think I _know_ that?" she barked back. "Thank you for your help, Darth Maul. I'll be de-tangling myself from your hair-er, horns, now."

Maul watched her curiously, not wanting her to leave. "Are you sure that is wise?"

"Do I look wise to you?" she almost yelled. She rolled her eyes at the smirk on his face. "Obviously, if I got involved with Raef Caylon, I'm not. That's what you essentially said before-well, hinted at. Anyways-"

"What did you do that has made him want to kill you?" Maul inquired.

"What-you mean you're not going to use your Sith powers to read my mind?"

Maul shook his head. "I would rather hear you tell me."

Jareena stared at him for a few seconds, trying to read his expression. "Why?"

"Because it will keep you here longer," he allowed himself to smile at her.

"Nice try. You know, I almost-_almost_," she shook her head at him. "I'm not what you think I am."

"Jareena," he got up from the couch following her to the door.

"Goodbye, Maul," she kissed him softly, then smiled at him.

He already felt himself losing consciousness. "What have you..." his eyes rolled back in his head, and he flopped to the floor as the darkness enveloped him.

"I don't want you to follow me," Jareena replied, laying him down on the couch. "You'll be fine." She closed the door behind her, and headed home, hoping this other place was still standing.

  


* * *

  


Darth Maul awoke with a start as a bolt of lightning zapped him.

"Where is she?" Sidious roared.

Clearly his Master was furious, but Maul's head was still swimming in its dizziness. "Who?"

"The girl, Maul, _the girl!_"

"Wha..." bits and pieces were starting to come back to him. "Jareena." Maul sat bolt upright as everything snapped into place.

"Good. Now I have a name," Sidious muttered, not really pleased at all. "Where is she?"

"She is no longer my concern," Maul grumbled, and instantly regretted it, sensing his Master's intensifying rage.

The lamp beside Maul shattered, and pieces of glass flew at him, smaller ones cutting his cheek and larger ones lodging into his right forearm and the back of his hand.

"Where did she go?" Sidious demanded.

The hanging lamp in the center of the room began to vibrate. Maul quickly came to the conclusion that a full story was warranted. "We went to the Gallery, as you ordered me, and stole the Statue. We brought it back here, and Raef Caylon arrived shortly thereafter." He began picking pieces of glass out of his arm.

"I know this already." The light continued to vibrate. "And I know that she left you lying on the couch, unconscious, after a brief game of tonsil hockey. I _don't_ care about _any_ of _that_."

"I do not know what happened to her after that, Master. She left," he replied stupidly, frowning at his own words after he had spoken them.

"Find her! There will be no more training until you do! Am I making myself clear?" Sidious yelled at him.

Maul heard the overhead light cracking. He searched his Master's mind for an explanation for this uncontrolled outburst. "If you can't find her, then how can I?"

Sidious' expression went blank, and the light stopped jerking back and forth on its chain. He closed his eyes in concentration, using the Force to locate Jareena.

Maul ignored his Master, pulling up his sleeve to remove the last piece of the lamp from his forearm.

"I sense that she will not cross our paths again for some time," Sidious concluded gravely.

Maul met his Master's icy stare.

"Looks like you still get your training afterall." A mirthless smile crept across Sidious' face.

  



	2. A Fresh Start

**Four years later...**

  


"Ensign Lou, power down the engines and raise our deflector shields," Captain Kane Lindsey ordered the newest member of his crew.

The blue-skinned female's hands flew across the control panels in front of her much faster than any of Lindsey's more experienced crewmen. "It's done, Captain," she informed him, turning soft, orange eyes on him.

"Are you sure you're an ensign, Lou?" Kane always ribbed her about her rank.

"Until the Academy decides that I've had enough experience, Sir," Lou gave her Captain the same answer she always had.

"Well, when I rule the galaxy, I'll make you a commander on my private frigate."

This was a new one. "Frigate, Sir?"

"I have great plans for an Alliance frigate," Lindsey grinned at her. "I'll have to show you my blueprints sometime."

"Not while I'm serving under you, Lindsey." Lou went back to monitoring her station.

Lindsey smiled at the back of her head. Lou had only been serving on his ship, the _Angel_, for a little over a month. He had liked her immediately upon meeting her, not just because of her strong work ethic as demonstrated in her marks in the Alliance's Officer Training Academy, but because of her warm smile and friendly manner. Most of the young ensigns Lindsey had encountered over his four years as captain of the _Angel_ had been stuck-up due to their heightened sense of importance. Lou was different, though. She accepted that she was now an official working officer onboard a starship, but it did not go to her head.

"Captain Lindsey!" Lieutenant-Commander Mortimer Park exclaimed suddenly from his communications station. "Our presence is requested immediately," he paused waiting for the rest of the transmission. Everyone on the bridge waited for Park to continue, tension in the air. "In the Nairn system." He looked up. "That's all it says."

"Park, send Lou the coordinates. Lou, set course, and get us into Hyperspace." Lindsey stepped down from his Captain's Platform, and strode over to Park's station. "Does the transmission say why?"

"No, Sir." Park shook his head. "Seems like an emergency, though."

"Jenkens, get the next shift up here before we reach Nairn."

"Yes, Sir." Jenkens began typing in a wake up call for the next bridge shift.

"Captain," Lou rose from her station, and turned to face Lindsey as he returned to his Platform.

"What is it, Ensign?"

"I would like to stay on for the next shift. You may need me up here."

Lindsey looked at her for a long time. Breckin, her relief, was a good officer, but did not possess her skills. At last he nodded, saying, "If you think you can make it through the next shift, I'd be happy to have you on the bridge."

Lou smiled, then reclaimed her seat.

"Lucky duck," Jenkens grumbled in Lou's ear.

"Have you been to the Nairn system before?" she asked him, orange eyes shining.

"Only one, to Nairn Prime. It was beautiful. That's where I picked up Stoof." Jenkens grinned at the mention of the strange furry creature he kept as a pet. "Maybe you should pick one up, too. It could ward off evil-doers, people you don't want to talk to, and," he chuckled, "Captain Lindsey."

Lou laughed. That was an ongoing joke among the crewmen that shared her shift. "There is _nothing_ between me and the good Captain."

"Oh, yeah? How good?"

"Drop it, Jenkens. Drop it, now," she shook her head, still smiling. Lou liked Lindsey, but she didn't want a relationship other than friendship with her Captain.

"Who were you thinking about just now?" Jenkens broke into her thoughts.

"No one," Lou answered, staring out the forward window that took up the entire wall. The stars were moving past in streaks.

"Of course not," he said quietly with an undertone that made Lou's eyebrows go up.

She did not say anything. Instead, she waited for the green light to come on, signaling when she should return the _Angel_ to normal space. The light came on, and Lou pressed the button below it. The stars gradually returned to their familiar dot-shape from the stream lines of Hyperspace.

"Incoming transmission," Park stated. "It's from Admiral Zucre." He stopped to read over the message, then started laughing uncontrollably.

"Share the cause of your laughter with the rest of us, Park," Lindsey told him. "And then, Jenkens, you can get the next shift up here."

"They're already on their way," Jenkens replied.

Park tried to calm himself down enough to read the message aloud. "Surprise," he managed, then keeled over laughing again.

"He's in on it," Jenkens whispered to Lou.

"I thought we all were," Lou whispered back.

"He wasn't supposed to know."

"Well, then I guess he found out from someone." Jenkens gave her a quizzical look. "It sure as hell wasn't me," her voice was harsh.

"Okay, okay. You don't have to bite my ear off." Then Jenkens grinned at her. "I guess you need a 'Stoof' to keep Park away."

"I don't know who started that rumour, but when I find out, I'll kill them," Lou shook her head.

"What, you mean it's not true?"

"Of course it's not true! He's an utter fruitcake."

Jenkens' grin widened, a twinkle in his eyes, but he did not give his thought a voice.

Lou mumbled to herself, trying to ignore Jenkens.

"Alpha shift, you're all free," Lindsey informed his crew as the second shift arrived on the bridge. "Except Lou. You are permitted to remain."

"Then what do I do?" Breckin whined.

"I'll figure something out for you to do," the Captain shrugged.

Breckin shot Lou a look that could only be read as a threat on her life, but she ignored him. Breckin always seemed to wish death upon someone, he was that kind of person.

"Whiny jerk," Lou muttered, as Raine Taggart sat down in Jenkens' place.

"You've got him pegged," Taggart chuckled.

"Everyone seems to," Lou shrugged.

"I'm surprised he's even still onboard, Kane can't stand the guy. I don't think anyone can." Taggart watched as Breckin talked to their captain. "Kane looks pretty pissed," he observed.

"You know, you're the only officer onboard who calls the Captain by his first name."

"We went through the academy together."

"Oh really?"

Taggart nodded as he logged onto the Alliance's Communication Center. "Oh no," he breathed.

Lou turned intent orange eyes on him. "What is it?"

His eyes were glassy as he typed in a name into the officer's search engine. Lou watched quietly, allowing him the liberty to find out what he needed to know. Taggart swore under his breath, unhappy with his finding. He re-typed the same name, and this time Lou read it: Helena Taggart.

She furrowed her eyebrows as he repeated the search a third time. "Raine-"

"No." Taggart's voice gradually increased in volume. "No, no, no!" He got up suddenly, knocking the chair that he had been sitting on backwards. He punched the monitor, cracking it.

Lou stood up, and backed away from her enraged crewmate. "Raine," she tried again.

"God _damn_ you, Kane! Why didn't you tell me?" Taggart whirled around, and strode towards the Captain with wild eyes.

"Tell you what, Raine?"

"About the attack on Léonna VI. About the complete obliteration of the Alliance base there." He had tears streaming down his cheeks. "About Helena," his voice broke, and he collapsed to his knees on the floor.

Lindsey's eyes were wide as he watched his friend take out his grief on the floor. He logged onto the A.C.C. himself to check the validity behind Taggart's words, mentally crossing his fingers that he was wrong.

Lou was using Taggart's station to read about the attack on the small planet the Alliance had had a secret base set up on. It was now believed that there had been a spy, and that this spy may not have even been at the base. All of the ninety-four occupants had been killed, and the base was now being used by Darth Sidious' growing Empire.

A hand on her shoulder made her jump, but as she looked over her shoulder, she saw that it was Taggart, his eyes bloodshot. He tried to force a reassuring smile at her, but it faltered immediately.

Lou wrapped her arms around his neck. She had experienced enough loss in her life to know exactly how he felt. "It'll be okay," she told him, although she supposed that at this point in time her statement must sound corny.

"Thank you," he whispered, disengaging himself.

Lou waited for Taggart to sit in front of his computer before doing the same.

"Captain Lindsey, incoming transmission from Admiral Zucre," Park's replacement, Clarissa Nordat, announced.

"I'll take it in my office," Lindsey growled. "I have some words for him that will probably cause me to lose my rank." He stormed off to his office that was attached to the bridge.

  


"This is an informal communiqué between the two of us, Captain Lindsey," Admiral Zucre began pleasantly.

"I'm glad to hear that, _Gerald_," Lindsey was fuming. "That means that I can say anything I want to, and you have to listen without stripping me of my captaincy."

Zucre furrowed his eyebrows. "What seems to be the issue?"

"The _issue_ is that one of _my_ officers-and _friends_-just found out fifteen minutes ago that his _wife_ was killed almost a week ago!" Lindsey roared. "How could the Hierarchy allow such a-" Lindsey started pacing, trying to think of a word. "_Mistake?_"

"I'm sure they had no idea that-"

"They should have made sure that everyone related to those poor souls knew the minute those bungling-"

"Careful, Captain. That's the Hierarchy you're about to slur," Zucre interrupted.

"The point is that Raine shouldn't have found out about his wife's death from an emotionless computer."

"You'd rather have told him yourself?"

Lindsey stopped pacing, and looked up at the admiral. "It should have been you."

Zucre averted his eyes. "I'll do what I can to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Lindsey sighed, finally allowing himself to calm down. His hand kept shaking, but it always did that when he was upset.

"Now, for the real reason I wanted to talk to you," Zucre began smiling again. "Today is your birthday."

A slight smile parted the Captain's lips. "Yeah, I know." He met the Admiral's gaze. "It's not very happy so far, though."

"No, I suppose it's not," Zucre conceded. "But you should make the best of it anyway."

"Right," he nodded. "Any advice?"

  


"Are we still going to do this?" Jenkens asked Lou from the Dining Hall over the small intercomm on her station.

"Yes. We have to lift the mood everyone is now in."

"Well, it's understandable, Lou. Everyone onboard pretty much knew someone who was on Léonna VI. And I doubt they want to party hearty."

Taggart shot Lou a quizzical look. "I'm going to tell Raine, and see what he thinks," she was looking at Taggart as she spoke.

"Yeah, okay."

Lou left the intercomm on as she explained about the surprise party Alpha shift had planned for their Captain's birthday.

Taggart laughed, though Lou was sure that he had not meant to. "He's gonna have a bird."

"Do you think we should still have the party?" Jenkens asked him.

"Absolutely. I agree with what Lou said earlier, about needing to lift the depressing mood everyone is in," Taggart replied. "Besides, they'd want us to carry on." His eyes fell on the picture of Helena sitting on the desk. 'They' being the people from Léonna VI.

Lou squeezed his hand. "Alright, Jenkens?"

"Yeah. I wish you hadn't volunteered to stay on up there. We could use your help down here decorating." Jenkens paused, then muttered, "Park's going crazy with the streamers."

Lou laughed. "TTFN." She switched off the intercomm.

"I'll make them pay," Taggart's voice was almost inaudible, and Lou decided to pretend that she hadn't heard him.

"Carry on, people," Lindsey announced his return to the bridge.

Lou smiled to herself, then set the alarm on her watch.

  


* * *

  


"Captain!" Lou exclaimed suddenly, startling everyone on the bridge. "I've lost sensor readings in the dining hall. There's-" she pretended to tap a bunch of buttons, as Taggart tried to conceal his smirk. "There's a hull breach." The alarms began to sound as she finished her sentence.

"Caused by what?" Lindsey demanded, striding over to her station.

"I don't know," she intercepted him, grabbing his sleeve. "But we _have _to check it out."

"I'll come, too," Taggart decided. He was not necessarily supposed to do that, but Lou was not going to stop him.

"Breckin, take over for them," Lindsey ordered, as the three of them headed to the dining hall. "The dining hall," he shook his head. "Why the dining hall? We never use the dining hall."

"Maybe it's protesting that fact that it's never used," Taggart shrugged.

"Look, Raine, I'm really sorry. I wish I had known sooner."

"There was nothing anyone could have done. We thought it was a secret base, and no one worried about its well-being."

"That doesn't make it okay. In fact, that makes it worse."

"Let's just drop it. I don't want to talk about it."

Lindsey nodded, and Taggart took the lead. He waited for us to catch up outside the double doors. Lindsey drew his blaster, and allowed Lou to open the doors.

They entered the pitch black room, the light from the hallway barely illuminating the first eighth of it.

"It sure doesn't seem like there's much of a hull breach," Taggart said, a little more loudly than Lindsey thought he needed to.

"No, no it doesn't," Lou remarked.

As Lindsey holstered his blaster, the lights in the Hall came on, and there was a loud chorus of "Surprise!"

Lindsey's eyebrows went up, and his lips curled into a grin. "Aww, you shouldn't have!" he exclaimed sarcastically.

"We know," Jenkens faked irritation as he spoke into his mic.

"Are you M.C. tonight, Jenkens?" Lindsey chuckled.

"Who else would volunteer for the job?" he grinned back.

"You volunteered?" Lindsey continued his charade of being shocked and amazed, but really, he knew how his crew felt about him.

"It was him or me, Cap'n," Park threw his arm around Lindsey's shoulders.

Everyone within earshot laughed. Everyone but Park, that it. He just looked confused.

  


* * *

  


The party had gone on for three hours already, and by now the ship was being piloted by a skeleton crew. They were in safe space, awaiting a mission, but as long as there was none forthcoming, the crew of the _Angel_ was content to dance, eat, and just relax.

Lou finally gave in to Lindsey's constant requests for a dance, and he led her out onto the floor.

Lance Breckin watched the surprise birthday party on the video screen from the bridge. He was bitter that he had not been invited, but did not want to be down there, anyway. Having a good time was not Breckin's idea of projecting a strong image.

"Hey, Breckman," Corrina Simpson broke into his thoughts.

"Breckin," he corrected her, though he did not really care. No one on the _Angel_ liked him, why should they get his name right? "Why aren't you down there partying with the animals?"

Simpson flashed him a smile. "Maybe I'd rather party with you."

Breckin did not get the hint. "Well, I wasn't...um, I have to-what are you doing?" She sat on his lap, and he strained his neck to see the monitor over her shoulder. "Corrina, I can't see the-"

She silenced him with a kiss, undoing the zipper on his uniform. The meaning behind her statement about wanting to party with him was beginning to come together in his head. He mentally kicked himself for being to ignorant, but decided to continue playing dumb. He wanted to know what she would do to get him in the mood.

Simpson gave Breckin a devious grin as she peeled off her uniform.

  


"Listen, Lindsey, it's the age-old excuse of it's not you, it's me," Lou was explaining as they danced.

"Please, call me Kane. Just for now." He paused, a clouded expression coming over his face. "You know, I don't even think I know your first name," he arched his eyebrow at her, hoping she would get the hint and tell him.

Lou made sure her expression did not falter as she tried to remember what she had been using as a first name. "Mira," she tried not to smile at him. Not many people had asked her that over the past few years. She was just Ensign to many of her superior officers, and Lou to her crewmates and teachers.

"That's pretty," Lindsey smiled. "What planet do you hail from?"

"I-" she stopped herself. What should she tell him? She did not want to lie to him, he was just being friendly-and that was because he liked her. "My parents were from D'Nayr, but I was raised on Coruscant, mostly."

"I see. Why did they decide to take you there? Coruscant's pretty boring, unless you're a politician."

So, he wanted to know everything about her. Lou's own memory of the event's of her early childhood were fuzzy, so there wasn't much for her to tell him. "My mother was in the Senate. Until being assassinated by my father, who later died in prison," she recited. "That's what I read years later, anyway."

"Who took you in after that?" the expression of concern on his face made her smile again.

"No one in particular. I decided I could take care of myself."

"How old were you?"

Lou had to think about that. "I think I was twelve." It was ten that she realized that the song had ended. She tried to disengage from Lindsey, but he held on as the next song started. She was a little annoyed, but tried not to let it show. "What about you? Tell me about _your_ childhood."

"Oh, man. Well, my father was a smuggler, so mostly I didn't see him," he shrugged.

"What about you mother?"

"She," Lindsey leaned in closer, as if what he was about to tell Lou a secret. "Trained pilots at the Academy."

"Did she train you?"

"Not at the Academy. I've been flying since I was in my teens. She always said I'd make a hell of a captain one day," his smile was sad.

"What happened to her?"

"She was killed in a training accident. A freak one, really. The Flight Simulator was sucking electricity out of the base, and she was electrocuted."

"I'm sorry to hear that," and she was. Bad luck was something easily identified with for her.

"When life hands you lemons, make orange juice," Lindsey said. "That's what she used to tell me."

"I see. That's very optimistic of her," Lou nodded, sarcasm in her voice. "At least now I know where you get it from."

"Mind if I cut in?" Jenkens inquired, eyes twinkling.

Lindsey kissed the back of her hand softly. "Thank you."

"No problem," Lou shrugged suspiciously.

Jenkens took her in his arms abruptly, making Lou laugh. "I bet I know who you'll be dreaming about tonight," he teased.

"My, my, Jenkens. That's _very_ egotistical of you," she remarked.

The mischievous expression disappeared. "I didn't mean me."

"Oh," Lou acted surprised. "Who, then?"

The grin returned to his face. "Why, our dear Captain, of course."

"Oh God, no," Lou shook her head.

"You two looked quite involved in conversation."

"He was prying," she snapped.

"Maybe he was just trying to get to know you better."

"No, he was prying."

"Hmm."

"I've had enough of this," she pulled away from Jenkens. "I thought you knew me better than that, but apparently you just like having your nose in my business."

"Ouch. I think I've been dissed."

"Grow up, Jenkens." Lou walked away from him, leaving him gaping after her.

Park brought drinks over to the table where Lou was sitting alone. "Mind if I sit?"

"Are you going to hit on me too, Morty?" she sighed, orange eyes pleading with him to say no.

"No."

"Alright, I guess you can sit, then." She turned so she was facing him.

"I saw you and Lindsey."

"I think everyone _videoed_ me and Lindsey."

"I didn't. And I wouldn't've even if I could've."

Lou smiled curtly. "Well, then you're the only one."

"You only did it so he'd leave you alone," Park shrugged. "I got that."

"Again, you're the only one."

The two of them sat in silence for several minutes watching the other members of the crew enjoying themselves.

"Nice streamers," Lou finally broke in, taking a sip of her drink.

Park's face brightened into a toothy smile. "Thank you. It was a lot of fun hanging from the rafters to attach them all."

Lou laughed, almost choking on her drink. "I see you're trying to kill me," she managed between coughs.

A devious expression came over his face. "If I were, my method would be much more creative."

Lou couldn't help laughing again. Everyone else thought Park was crazy, but she knew that he just had a strange sense of humour. He was one of three people onboard that she considered a friend, Jenkens and Taggart being the other two. The others either weren't friendly towards her, despite her efforts, of they were the captain and harbouring an unrequited love for her. Park was friendly, and if he was in love with her, he hid it well.

"Alright everyone," Jenkens spoke into the mic. "It's time for everyone to head back to their quarters. Don't worry about cleaning up. We'll leave everything as is for next year."

The crowd laughed as it dispersed.

"No rush, however," Park murmured at Lou, who had not moved.

"Wait till the jam around the door dies down some."

"Sounds like a plan," Park agreed. "If you need me to fight anyone off, don't hesitate to-"

"Morty, someone started a rumour about us." She watched his reaction closely, trying to see if it had been him.

He arched his eyebrow. "What kind of rumour?"

"You really don't know?" Lou did not hide her surprise. Park shook his head slowly, not taking his eyes off of hers. "Well...Jenkens told me that we are...seeing each other, according to some members of our shift."

Park's other eyebrow went up. "We are? Damn it, where have I been during _this_ relationship?"

"I hope you're being sarcastic. With you, it's hard to tell, sometimes."

He laughed at this statement. "Mira, I love you like a sister. That's all. I don't know who said that about us, it's not like either of us has ever even seen the other's quarters."

"You don't have to tell _me_ that. I just-" she cut herself off.

"You just thought it was me, didn't you? You thought _I_ started the rumour?"

"Well," Lou shrugged. "I did at first. I realize now that I was wrong." She got up. "I think we can muscle out way out of here, now."

Park got up, too, then followed her out into the hall. "Well, I'll see ya," he waved, heading in the opposite direction from her.

"Yup," Lou waved back, heading to her quarters.

"Goodnight, Lou," Jenkens grinned at her from farther down the hall. "I hope that when you wake up for your next shift, you will have forgiven me for my insolence."

"We'll see. Goodnight," she called after him. As she held her keycard above the lock, her memory flashed back to a house she had occupied four years earlier. She heard his voice in her head, then pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind.

Lou entered the main room of her quarters. After the door had closed, she began peeling off her clothes, leaving a trail to the bathroom where she intended to have a shower.

  


* * *

  


Lou sat on her bed, a portrait of Darth Maul in her hands that she had done herself years earlier. There had been much joy throughout the Galaxy when the Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi had slain him, except for her.

She hadn't known Maul all that well, but she now sat, wondering as was her habit, what things would have been like if she had stayed with him. She realized that she would be fighting for the other side of the war, and she did not like that idea. For awhile after her departure from Maul's apartment, she had thought about going back and asking him to leave with her, but had never gotten up the courage to return. Lou knew now that she could not have changed Maul, anyway. She had built up her knowledge about the Force, the Jedi, and the Sith. Maul would not have swayed to join the Rebellion.

Lou replaced the sketch in the drawer of the night stand, and lay back on the pillows. She closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep.

  



	3. Confession

Breckin glanced over a Simpson, lying naked beside him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Why did you do that?"

Simpson propped herself up on one elbow. "Because I like you, Lance. You're cute, and you're a nice guy when people give you the chance."

He arched his eyebrow at her. "You think I'm cute?"

She smiled broadly. "Definitely."

Breckin had to smile back at her. No one had ever told him that before. He did not even care that she had gotten his last name wrong earlier in the night.

"We should get dressed. It looks like the party's over," Simpson replied, glancing at the video screen. She reached for her uniform.

"Already?" Breckin sat up, and reached for his pants. "I would have thought..." he let the sentence trail off, standing up.

Simpson pulled Breckin close to her, and kissed him. "Don't tell anyone about us, alright, Lance?"

_Us. What does she mean? _"Not if you don't want me to," he agreed stupidly.

Simpson kissed him again, then left him staring after her. Breckin shook his head. "I just had sex on the floor of the Bridge." He blinked a couple of times. "Interesting."

  


* * *

  


"Mornin', Morty," Lou greeted him with a smile.

"Mornin', Mi," Park grinned.

She rolled her eyes at him, and fell in step as they made their way to the Bridge.

"Lou, Park, you're late," Lindsey stated as they entered.

"Sorry, Cap. _I_ slept in. She was just tardy."

Lou punched Park in the back of his shoulder as he went up to his station.

"Hello," Jenkens nodded at her. Breckin signed off, then left without a word. "Sleep well?"

"Shut up, Jenkens. That's not even _remotely_ funny."

"You left with Park last night, you return with Park this morning. There's a question in these raised eyebrows."

"You started that damned rumour, didn't you?" she exploded. The look in his eyes told her the answer. "You son of a bitch!"

"Oh, calm down, Lou."

She glared at him, so blinded by her anger that she couldn't think of anything to say.

"Is there a problem over here?" Lindsey asked them.

Lou turned to her station, still unable to form words.

"Nah. We're good," Jenkens shrugged, pleasantly smiling up at his Captain.

Lindsey raised an eyebrow, then moved over to McDougall and the engineering post.

"I can't believe you did that," Lou shook her head.

"I can't believe you're so naïve that you didn't think someone would get the impression that-"

"Just drop it," she ordered.

"Look, Lou, I'm-"

"Drop it."

The ship jerked suddenly, and Park was thrown over his station. He lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling, breathing deeply.

"Park, are you alright?" Lindsey stood over him.

He raised his arm, pointing at the ceiling. "That bulb's burnt out."

"Yeah," Lindsey threw a look at the row of light indicated. "I'll get someone right on that."

The ship lurched again, sending Lindsey toppling over Park.

"Captain, we've lost our forward thrusters!" McDougall exclaimed. "We're dead in space."

"Red alert. Shields up!" Lindsey yelled orders at his crew, as he righted himself. He looked down at Park, who was still in a daze. "And get Nordat up here _now_."

"No, no," Park got up. "I'm okay." He leaned on the nearest inanimate object, which proceeded to slide out from under him, and he found himself back on the floor. He got up quickly, straightened his uniform, then replied, "I _am_ okay."

"Then take your station, and prove it," the Captain growled. The _Angel_ shook, and he had to grasp the railing to keep from losing his balance. "What the hell is shooting at us?"

Lou threw her hands up in the air. "My station's dead."

"Should I still get Nordat up?" Jenkens asked.

Lindsey threw a look at Park. "ASAP!"

"Who's a sap? I'm not a sap!" Park protested.

The Captain ignored him. "What keeps blasting us?" he yelled.

"Whatever it is, I can't find it on the scope," Jenkens muttered.

"You know what that means, people. McDougall, get us out of here!"

"The Empire has cloaking devices," Lou shook her head, talking to herself.

_Jareena?_ The word was a question in her head.

"Maul?" Lou breathed incredulously.

"Huh?" She looked over at Jenkens. "What did you just say?"

Lou blinked at her crewmate. "I said...um...damn it all."

"That's not what it sounded like to me," he argued.

"Well that's what-"

_Jareena_.

Lou looked around the bridge frantically, getting up from her station.

"What's wrong, Lou?" Jenkens put his hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

_Jareena, I know you can hear me_.

"Who are you?" she yelled at the air.

_You know who I am_.

"Mi," Park approached her slowly.

"Leave me alone!" Lou yelled, pushing Park away.

"Jenkens-" Lindsey started to tell him to call up Breckin.

"Already done, Sir," Jenkens nodded.

"Lou, maybe you should go back to your quarters," Lindsey suggested gently, following her to the viewscreen.

_I am here_.

She put her hand up against the plexiglass. "Where?"

"Come on, Mi. I think we both need a break," Park put his hand on her shoulder.

Breckin and Nordat stepped onto the bridge and took up their positions.

"This station is dead," Breckin grumbled, smacking the side of the monitor.

"Yeah," Jenkens whispered to him. "We know."

Breckin glared at him. "So then what am I needed for?"

"Fix it, Breckson. You're here to fix it."

"It's Breckin," he muttered, but Jenkens did not hear it.

Park nudged Lou gently. "Hey, what are you staring at?"

"I-" Lou turned to look at him. "Stars. Just the stars."

Park's eyebrows went up in confusion, and he did not hide it well. "There are a lot of stars, Mi."

"Lou, you are relieved from duty for the time being," Lindsey told her firmly, though he regretted having to say it.

She met his gaze. "If that's what you feel is best."

Although she was looking at him and talking to him, Lindsey could not shake that Lou seemed to be lightyears away. "I do."

Lou nodded, and turned back to the window.

"Come on, Mi," Park took her by the hand, leading her off the bridge.

  


* * *

  


"It was him, Morty," Lou said. "I know it was."

"You still haven't told me who 'he' is," Park folded his arms across his chest. He had been worried about her before, and that was why he had stayed with her in her quarters. He had been uncertain as to whether she would stay in them or not. Lou seemed to be herself again, though.

Lou scrutinized Park from where she sat in a a beanbag chair on the floor. "I don't think I should tell you that," she replied carefully. That statement would hurt his feelings, but she did not want to lie to him.

"Oh," he lowered his eyes, his disappointment showing in his face.

"I'm sorry, Morty. I just-I dunno. It was a long time ago, and I'm a different person now," she smiled mirthlessly. "I've been trying so hard not to mix my past with my present because I'm so afraid of my future," she looked down at the floor.

"We're all afraid of our futures," then he added, "or lack thereof. You can't worry about it. Just take each day in stride."

"Thanks, Morty, I appreciate that you're trying to help, but..."

"You don't have to tell me about him if you don't want to. I won't push."

Lou stared at him again, trying to reach a decision. She was tired of carrying secrets. She trusted Park to keep his mouth shut, if she did tell him about Darth Maul. "Okay," she got up from the beanbag chair. "But it doesn't leave this room. Got it, Morty? This is just between us, no one else can know."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Big secret, hush hush. No problem." Visibly, his mood had brightened.

"This is probably a bad idea, but," she took the sketch of Darth Maul out of the drawer, and brought it over to show Park. "That's him."

"Whoa, Mi, this is Darth Maul," he took the drawing from her. "You know that he's dead, right?"

"I _thought_ he was dead. But it was his voice inside my head, I know it was. He was calling to me."

"But that Jedi Knight sliced him in two. Everyone knows that."

"Maybe-" she cut herself off. "Nevermind."

"Maybe...he didn't cut him in half? Mi-"

"I know. That's why I said nevermind. But how else do you explain it?"

Park thought about it for a minute, before a wide grin corrupted his pensive expression. "Maybe his ghost is haunting you," he said in a deep, ghastly voice.

"Very funny, Morty."

"Hey, you asked how else I could explain it," he shrugged, handing her back the picture of the Sith Lord. "So how did you meet tall, tattooed and horny?"

Lou shot Park a death glare, then realized from the innocent expression on his face that he had not meant it like that. "In a bar."

"Oh?" Park's expression was turing devious.

Lou rolled her eyes at him. "Alright, Morty, you know too much already. This is where the lesson in my past ends."

"Aw, c'mon, Mi," Park pouted. When he saw that she would not be swayed, he gave up with a shrug. "Okay, okay. I probably should go. Maybe I'm needed on the Bridge."

"Right," Lou nodded. "Tell Lindsey that I'm not-"

"Crazy? No problem."

"That's not what I was going to use."

"Yeah, I know."

Lou arched her eyebrow at Park's back as he left her quarters.

_Jareena_.

The doors slid shut, and Lou was alone in her quarters.

_You're dead, Maul, you've been dead for over three years._ Lou thought, not expecting a reply.

_That's what you have been led to believe._

Lou jumped in surprise, looking wildly around the room.

_Do not be afraid._ There was a pause. _I will not harm you_.

"You already have." When there was no response, she blurted, "Why have you contacted me now? Why not three damned years ago? Why at all, Maul?" Lou was yelling.

There was no answer to her questions.

"Dammit, where are you, Maul?"

Nothing.

  


* * *

  


"Alright," Breckin told Simpson. "I found it," he grinned like a schoolboy at her, a small black computer disk in his hand.

"See, I told you you knew where it was," Simpson smiled back, wrapping a sheet around her naked body. She reached for the disk, but Breckin pulled his hand back. "Lance," she whined.

"There is very sensitive stuffs on this disk, Cor," he replied seriously.

"Stuffs, hey?" she teased him.

"Yes, stuffs. Maybe I shouldn't-"

"Oh, come on, Sweetie. No one'll know. I won't tell if you won't."

"Promise?"

Simpson kissed him passionately, and Breckin surrendered the disk.

  



	4. New Orders

"Are you certain of that, Darth Maul?" Darth Sidious demanded. Even in holographic form he was intimidating.

"Yes. There is no doubt in my mind that it is her," Maul nodded gravely.

Sidious stared at his apprentice for what seemed to Maul like hours. "You must bring her to me."

"As you wish, my Master," Maul stated, keeping all emotion out of his voice.

There was a long silence, and Maul knew that Sidious was probing his mind.

"It is not open for discussion," Sidious snapped, then cut the transmission.

Maul lowered his eyes. He had been running errands for his Master for weeks, and he was weary from the relentless space travel. He had aided in the destruction of four Rebel outposts, and single-handedly taken out the small but vital station on Léonna VI.

Maul yawned, an act that he had rarely experienced. He was run-down, and suddenly barely able to keep his eyes open. He put his Sith Infiltrator II into autopilot, and retreated to the small bunkroom, disrobing as the door slid open.

He carelessly dropped his cloak and robes on the floor, then curled up on the mattress, thoughts of the blue-skinned, orange-eyed dancing girl he had encountered four years ago replaying in his head...

  


* * *

  


There was a rapping on Lou's door, so she switched off the screen she had been reading, and went to the door. "Who's there?"

"It's Kane."

Lou rolled her eyes, opening the door for him. "Can I help you Captain?"

Lindsey smiled, realizing that she would probably never call him by his first name so long as she lived. "I just wanted to see how you were. Park explained the situation to me."

"He did?" _He's dead_.

"Yeah," his voice was clouded with suspicion at the way she had responded to his revelation. "He said that you haven't been sleeping well and sometimes that...'affects your mental state'?" Lindsey quoted Park for the last part.

"He did?" _He's very dead_. Lindsey nodded, even more suspicious now. "Well," Lou forced a smile at her Captain. "It's true that I haven't been sleeping well lately." She pondered for a moment. "Come to think of it," she lied, "I guess it really does affect my mental state." _In fact, it turns me into a loonie ready to kill her crewmate_, she seethed inwardly. Park was going to get his this time.

"Alright," Lindsey was saying. "You can return to the Bridge whenever you feel ready."

"Thanks, Captain. I'll be there shortly."

"Good, good," Lindsey was clearly relieved. "I'll tell Breckin." He could not keep the smile off his face. "He's been bitchin' at me for hours." He started back to the Bridge.

"I'll bet he has." Lou had to smile, too, thinking about Breckin, sitting on the Bridge, wondering where his relief was, probably harping on Taggart...the smile dissolved. "How's Raine?" she called after Lindsey.

The Captain stopped and came back. "He's...he's been better, but...I dunno, he doesn't want to talk about it."

Lou nodded in understanding. They stood in silence for awhile, wondering what the other was thinking.

Lou glanced over her shoulder, then stepped out of the way, allowing the door to slide closed behind her. "To the Bridge, then?" she arched her eyebrow at him.

Lindsey nodded, motioning for her to lead the way.

"Thank you _so much_ for deciding to show up," Breckin snarled, surrendering his station.

"You could have called Rustin," Lou shrugged.

Breckin narrowed his eyes at her. "Rustin doesn't know the chair from the monitor," he snapped, then left.

"What's he got stuck up his ass?" Lou asked Taggart.

"I don't know and I don't care," he answered, not taking his eyes off the screen ahead of him.

"I see," she watched him fidget with his wedding ring. "How are you?" she almost whispered.

Taggart stopped fidgeting. "I keep meaning to take it off, but it's a...habit," he stumbled over the answer. He looked like he wanted to say something more, and Lou waited for his thoughts to express themselves. "I miss her," he said finally. "I haven't seen her in two months, and fourteen days-give or take a few hours." Taggart shook his head, closing his eyes. "And now I'll never see her again."

Lou squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, as he began fidgeting with his ring again. "You don't real have to take it off."

"You don't have anyone, do you?"

Her eyes went distant. "No, no I don't."

"Good. That's the best way to be right now, with this war on, and all." Lou nodded, unable to speak. She was thinking about Darth Maul. Taggart still was not looking at her, otherwise he would have caught the sadness in her eyes. "Anyways," he sighed, his fingers hovering over the keyboard.

"Captain Lindsey," McDougall strode past Lou to talk to the Captain. "I believe I have deduced the exact opposing force that laid siege upon our vessel."

_Force, funny that he would choose that word_, Lou thought.

"Who talks like that?" Taggart murmured.

Lou smiled at him. "Not I."

Taggart shook his head.

"Oh?" Lindsey looked up at McDougall. "By all means, share your finding."

Lou guessed what ship had attacked them before McDougall responded to the Captain's query. "The Sith Infiltrator."

"The Sith Infiltrator II," McDougall was saying. "Piloted by an unknown sentient."

"Piloted by Darth Maul, you-"

"Lou?" Taggart was shaking her lightly. She looked at him, confused. "You were talking to yourself."

"I was?" Taggart nodded. "Oh," Lou turned her attention back to her station.

"Are you alright?"

"I wish people would stop asking me that," she snapped.

"I was just returning the favour," he returned defensively.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lou honestly felt bad that she had insulted Taggart. He was going through enough as it was already, he did not need her attitude. "I'm just a little out of it."

Taggart nodded, but did not reply. Lou tuned into Lindsey and McDougall's conversation.

"Where did it come from?"

"Presumably, the Sith Infiltrator II has been cloaked and following us for a lengthy period of time," McDougall explained.

"Why?" Lindsey asked the same question Lou was wondering.

"Do you want me to hypothesize?"

Lindsey folded his arms across his chest. "Sure."

McDougall stood in silence for a few moments, formulating his theory. "Perhaps the pilot's mission was to destroy the _Angel_ and her crew." The Captain waited while McDougall speculated other possibilities. "Or he was following us to ascertain the location of our fleet, or a secret Base." McDougall looked directly at Lindsey. "I will research the Sith and their prospected abilities, and then I shall present you with a sufficient response to your query."

Lindsey nodded at him, seemingly thinking about what McDougall had just proposed. McDougall bowed his head, then returned to his station.

_I was looking for you, Jareena_. Maul's voice was talking to her again.

Lou closed her eyes. _Leave me alone, Maul. You're dead. Why are you haunting me four years later?_

_I'm not dead, and I'm not haunting you. I need to see you._

_No._

Taggart watched Lou curiously, but said nothing to her.

Park looked up from his station suddenly. He felt as though he was no longer alone with his thoughts, like there was another presence in his mind. He furrowed his eyebrows, wondering if this is what one felt like when one was crazy.

He looked down at the floor, then up at the ceiling. He reached his hand up to touch the light fixture.

_Yes_, Park decided, _I am insane._

_No, you're not_, came a low, gravelly voice inside Park's head.

_Right_, was Park's sarcastic response. _Then who are you?_

_You know who I am_.

"Uh, Park?" Lindsey was standing below him, staring incredulously.

Though Lou still had her eyes closed, she could see what was happening. It was like a dream, and she could not wake up.

_Stop it, Maul_, she pleaded. _Let him go_.

_Will you change your choice?_

_I can't, Maul._

_Very well._

__Icy, invisible fingers clamped around Park's neck, cutting off the air traveling into his lungs.

Lou wanted to get up, to scream, to do **something**, but she was rooted to her seat, watching it all play out in her mind. _Let him go, Maul!_ He did not respond. Lou felt panic rising, but there was nothing she could do. _Maul, stop it!_

Taggart put his hand on Lou's shoulder, and her connection with the Sith Lord was broken. She got up quickly, and ran over to Park. She could see that he was losing consciousness.

"What the hell is going on?" Lindsey yelled at Lou, expecting her to know the answer.

"Alright, Maul! Let him go, and tell me where!" Lou ignored Lindsey completely, opting instead to save her friend's life.

_Coruscant_.

Park literally dropped to the floor, gasping. Lou put her hand on his shoulder, and he gave her a 'was that him?' look. She nodded, and Park looked down at the floor. He had many questions that he wanted to ask her, but they would have to wait until the two of them were alone.

Clarissa Nordat took up Park's station, as Lou helped him to his feet.

"Maybe you should go back to your quarters and get some rest," Lindsey suggested.

"Maybe you should cut your hair," Park shot back.

Lou tried not to laugh, as she said, "Come on, Morty. Let's get you in bed."

"Ooh," Park snickered.

"That's _not_ what I meant."

"Lou, I want to talk to you when you get back, so don't be too long," the Captain told her.

"Yes, Sir."

When he and Lou were out in the hallway, Park managed to ask, "Are you sure that was him?" his voice was a low croak.

"Yes, I'm positive."

"Only fools are positive."

"Are you sure?"

Park's laugh turned into coughing. "I'm alright," he assured her, swiping his keycard. "You'd better hurry back. Lindsey wants you."

"That's not funny. Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Oh, yeah," he coughed again. "I've never felt so fantabulous in my life."

Lou gazed at Park, not wanting to leave him alone. She sighed sadly, then said, "I'm so sorry, Morty."

Park shook his head. "Nah, it wasn't your fault. It's not like you wanted him to do it, or _suggested_ for him to do it." He paused to catch his breath. "What I don't get, is...isn't he dead?"

"I...I thought he was. But now I'm not so sure." Lou forced a smile, and squeezed Park's hand. "I'll come by later to check on you."

"Sounds good." Sensing that Lou was not going to leave before he closed the door, he stepped back into his room so that the door could slide shut.

Lou forced herself to return to the Bridge.

"This way, Ensign," Lindsey directed her into his office. Lou followed him, noticing Breckin sitting at her station. "What the hell is happening, Lou? And don't tell me you don't know because I know you do. Why did you freak out the other day? And why the hell was Park floating?"

"It's a long story."

"Well, start talking," he ordered.

"I can't tell you, Sir," she said, taking a deep breath.

"Why the hell not?" Lindsey's anger was ready to wage war on everything in its path.

"Because, Lindsey, I-"

"Tell me _something_, Lou. I'm not stupid. I can see that your change in mood is linked with that ship that attacked. I _know_ that you know who pilots that ship." Lindsey stared into her eyes. "I don't want to have to confine you to your quarters. Or lock you in the brig." Lou's gaze narrowed. "Tell me who it is, that's an order, Ensign."

Lou deliberated over her answer. Even if she did tell her Captain the truth, he probably would not believe her. But if she lied...Lou's exhalation came out in a huff. "You won't believe me."

"Yes, I will. You're the only person onboard with any kind of a clue. Tell me."

"It's...Darth Maul."

"It can't be. He died-"

"Three years ago, I know. But I don't think Kenobi killed Maul."

"Then who was it?"

"I don't know."

_A clone_.

"Maybe a clone."

_It was not my idea._

_Why do I care?_

_I just thought you would like to know. How's Morty?_

_Leave off, Maul._

_As you wish._

"-and who did it?" Lindsey was pacing, trying to think this through verbally.

"Did what?" Lou had not been listening, as she had been 'speaking' with Darth Maul.

"Cloned the Sith. Who would have-of course, whoever his Master was...he must have foreseen Darth Maul's death, and decided that he needed him around still."

"It's possible."

"How much do you know, Lou?"

"That _is_ what I know."

"I'm going to let you off for now, Ensign, but I want you to know that I'm going to watch you very closely, and if you do or say anything suspicious, I won't hesitate to lock you up."

"Well, thanks for the warning," Lou muttered sardonically. "I'll remember to watch my back from now on."

"Don't leave this office thinking that I'm out to get you, Lou, I'm not. But I _am_ responsible for the well-being of my crew, and right now their well-being is threatened."

"You don't have to justify yourself to me, Lindsey." The Captain nodded at her. "So, can I go? Are we done?"

"Yeah, sure. Dismissed."

Lou turned on her heel, then waited impatiently for the door to slide open. Lindsey watched her go, struggling with his feelings for her and the overwhelming responsibilities faced by every captain. He did not truly believe that Lou was intentionally endeavoring to endanger his crew, but she had not been acting like herself lately.

Lindsey shook his head at his thoughts. He would dead with this as it unfolded.

"Kane, I need to talk to you," Taggart intercepted him exiting his office.

"Of course," he gestured back into his office.

  



	5. A Slight Change in Plans

Lou folded her shirt, and stuffed it into the suitcase. She intended to leave the _Angel_ and get to Coruscant as quickly as she possibly could without anyone noticing her departure. Above all, she hoped that Park was asleep and that she would not pass him in the hall on her way to the docking bay.

Lou programmed her own smaller craft in the docking bay to prep itself for take off, before locking her quarters behind her, so that even Captain Lindsey could not get in in her absence.

Lou made her way through the corridors to the docking bay, trying not to look suspicious. Luckily, she did not pass anyone.

She strapped herself into the pilot's chair, then, after being cleared for take-off by the droid, blasted off into space. After setting her course for Coruscant, Lou watched the _Angel_ grow smaller and smaller.

  


* * *

  


"Who cleared that ship to leave?" Captain Lindsey was furious. Park twitched nervously at his commanding officer's raised voice. "Was it you?" he barreled down on Park.

"No," Park answered, his voice a low, terrified squeak, averting his eyes.

"Do you know where Ensign Lou is going?" Lindsey demanded.

Park shook his head, despite the voice in his head that kept hissing _Coruscant_.

"Ease up, Cap. You're scaring the poor guy," Jenkens chuckled.

Park gave Jenkens an evil glare, but remained silent.

"McDougall, can you track her ship's course?" Lindsey asked.

"That is conceivable, Captain."

"Good. Get to it _now_." McDougall bowed his head, then exited the conference room.

_She is coming to see me_, the voice in Park's head stated.

"Do you have a spare keycard, Park? My override doesn't work. Can you get into her quarters? I need to get in there, Park. Are you even listening to me?"

_She left you behind, and you can't come to terms with that fact_.

"Leave me alone!" Park exploded at the voice in his head. Lindsey glared daggers at him, and his eyes went wide. Park's mind was racing, trying to figure out how to cover up his outburst. He knew that if he claimed he was hearing voices in his head, they would lock him up. "Yeah, that's right. I have no idea how you can get into her quarters, and you know what? Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. You'd probably stand there sniffing her panties."

"Assuming she left any behind," Jenkens added.

"Dismissed," Lindsey barked at Jenkens, narrowing his eyes at him. Jenkens arched his eyebrow, but did not argue with his Captain, though he felt leery about leaving Park alone with him. "Now," Lindsey stated. Jenkens threw one last look at Park, who was shaking his head no, then left. "Mortimer, I know you have a duplicate keycard for Lou's quarters. You are going to find it, and bring it to me."

"I-"

"Come on. We'll go together," Lindsey gestured toward the door.

"But I don't know where it is off the top of my head."

_It is between the headboard of your bed and the wall._

_Leave me alone._

__"We'll look for it. Maybe you'll even remember on the way over."

Park reluctantly followed his Captain to his quarters to find the misplaced keycard.

  


* * *

  


_Why don't you just get it out from behind the bed, and get it over with?_

__"Because," Park whispered to the voice in his head. "I don't want Lindsey going into Mi's room before I get to look around first."

_What do you think you will discover? You already know that Jareena is coming to Coruscant to see me._

__"Why do you keep calling her that?"

_It is her name_.

"Not anymore."

_It was her name when I knew her_.

"Oh."

"I found it," Lindsey announced, his head appearing above the mattress on Park's bed.

"You did?" Park choked.

"Yeah. Something possessed me to look between the headboard and the wall, and there it was," he held it up for Park to see.

"That 'something' wasn't you, was it?" he whispered rhetorically.

_Of course_.

"Son of a-"

"Who are you talking to?"

"Uh...myself."

Lindsey raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. Afterall, everyone knew that Mortimer Park was slightly off.

  


Lou stared at the blackness of space. She had been traveling through it alone for three days, yet she was not tired of the view. She loved space. She loved the stars. Most of all, she loved being in space among the stars. That was why she had left Coruscant in the first place. She did not belong there, on a world of endless city.

Lou knew that she was lucky to have gotten off-planet when she had. It was only a month later when Darth Sidious and his Sith Apprentice had corrupted the Senate and taken over. Sidious had proclaimed himself Emperor, and there had been no one to oppose him.

These first two years had been dark times for anyone, even if they were all for Palpatine's outrageous ideas and goals. He had wiped out anything and anyone who stood in his path.

A green light blinked on the panel of buttons before her, snapping her out of her reverie. She flipped a switch, bringing her ship out of Hyperspace.

"A few more hours, Maul."

_Are you looking forward to seeing me again?_

"Does that really surprise you?"

  


Breckin's eyes snapped open. Something had woken him up, but what?

"Corrina?" he tried to see into the dark. "Computer, lights on," he ordered. The lights flickered, but stayed on. "Cor, where did you go?" A wave of panic overtook him, as he reached for his pants. What if he had left her unsatisfied, and now he would never see her again?

"I'm _not_ saying that," Simpson's voice floated out from the bathroom.

Breckin's heart skipped a beat, and a wide grin spread across his face. She was still here.

"Of course I have it. That was easy...nope, he's pretty easy, too." Breckin stood outside the door, eyebrows furrowed, as he realized that Simpson was talking to someone other than him. And he refused to believe that she may be talking _about_ him.

"It's all there. I checked it out myself...yes...as you wish."

Breckin realized that Simpson's conversation was over, and he hurried back into bed. "Computer, lights off," he whispered harshly, and the lights turned off. He rolled onto his side, and pretended that he was still asleep, waiting intently for Simpson to return to him. A few minutes passed before she did.

"Lance," she cooed in his ear. "Wake up, Sweetie."

"Hmm?" Breckin tried to sound groggy, as he turned his head to face her.

"Oh, Lance," Simpson kissed him passionately, rolling him over onto his back. Something cold and rough traced a line down his chest. "How much did you hear?"

"How much did I...?" he let the question trail off, his voice confused.

"You woke up, and you overheard some of my conversation, didn't you, Baby?" she kissed him again.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Cor," he whispered.

"Are you sure?"

Breckin put his arms around her waist, and rolled them both over, so that he was on top of her. He heard something metal clang to the floor. "Absolutely positive." He kissed Simpson softly, hoping she bought the lie.

  


"Look, just let me go in and have a look around first," Park snatched Lou's keycard out of Lindsey's hand.

"Not a chance. You'll reorganize her stuff so that I won't be able to figure anything out," he took the keycard back.

"You don't know her like I do, Sir. She would _not_ appreciate you going into her quarters in her absence," Park returned, grabbing it again.

Lindsey tore the card out of Park's hand, saying, "Lou doesn't want you going in either, otherwise she would have told you she was leaving."

"No, if she didn't want me to know that she was leaving, she would have taken the keycard back," he grabbed it back. "She didn't tell me because she didn't want me to go with her." _That hurt_, he thought to himself.

_Indeed_, Maul's voice replied.

_Go away_.

Park had not realized that Lindsey had once again taken the keycard away from him. "Maybe she _tried_ to find it, but didn't know where to look."

"M-i would have known where to look," he had almost said 'Maul'. "You're just jealous that she wouldn't take you along." He snatched the keycard back.

"Listen, Park, this is immature. Of _both_ of us," Lindsey grabbed it out of Park's hand. "_I'm _the _Captain. I'll_ go first."

"You say we're being immature, and then _the best thing_ you can come up with is that _you're_ the _Captain?_" Park threw his hands in the air. "Fine. Open the damned door."

Lindsey nodded, and with an air of satisfaction, swiped the keycard down the interface.

Park got in first. "Alright, so what we're looking for is-"

_Nothing. You know where she went. You know why she went there._

"Clues as to where she went, and why she went there," Lindsey finished, and Park wondered if the Captain was hearing the same voices he was.

_Just you, Morty._

__Park shuddered. _Don't ever call me that again._ He looked over at where Lindsey was looking in the drawers in the bed. Park went over to Lou's desk, and went through the drawers, searching for the portrait of the Sith Lord.


	6. I am NOT Crazy

_She has a portrait of me?_

_Yes._

_Did she draw it herself?_

_Yes._

_Really?_

_Yes._

_Were you present when she drew it?_

_No._

_Does she have a portrait of you?_

_I don't think so._

_Are you jealous?_

_No comment._ Park opened the bottom drawer and moved some of the papers out of the way, trying to see to the bottom, where he suspected the portrait would be hidden. He removed some of the objects, most of which were small trinkets Lou must have collected from the planets she had visited.

One such trinket was a red oval-shaped gem, which Park admired by holding it up to the light.

_So that's where it went._

_Mi stole it from you?_

_Apparently so._

__Park laughed out loud, causing Lindsey to look up inquisitively. "What's so funny?"

"Um...nothing, Sir," he tried to stifle his laughter. Park looked down, and the red and black tatooed face caught his eye. _There you are._

_I look good._

_Don't make me laugh again._

_I don't think I like talking to you._

_I never liked talking to you to begin with._

_It's just burning you up inside that she chose me over you._

__"Did you find anything yet, Park?" Lindsey called across the room.

"Nope," he lied, taking the portrait out of the drawer. "I shall return shortly."

Lindsey did not even look up, though the thought did occur to him that after the whole ordeal about who should enter the quarters first, it was odd that Park was now leaving him alone in them.

_I could tell your captain about that, you know_, Maul informed Park.

_But you won't._

_And why won't I?_

_Because you don't want us to get in your way, whatever your plan for Mi is._

__Maul thought about that for a minute, and conceded - to himself - that Park had a point.

  


Raef Caylon sat in the armchair on the side of the desk across from Darth Sidious - or as he preferred to be called now, Emperor Palpatine.

"When does she arrive?" Caylon inquired.

"Soon. Later tonight, or early tomorrow morning," Palpatine's answer was apathetic.

"Fantabulous," Caylon smiled slyly.

Palpatine read Caylon's thoughts. "You will not get her first."

At this, Caylon looked up inquisitively. "Why not?"

"My former apprentice, Darth Maul, shall be the first of us that she encounters."

"Why the hell - "

Palpatine cut him off with a wave of his hand. "She trusts him. She must see him first, so that she does not become suspicious of the reasons we are bringing her here for."

"Fine, Pops, you're the all-powerful one. If that's what you believe is best, I'll go along with it." Caylon got up to leave.

"I don't believe, Raef, I know." Palpatine's thin lips curled into a smile.

Caylon bowed his head, then turned to the door. He stopped beside the grey pyramid sitting atop an intricate display stand. "Jareena, we truly shall see each other again."

  


Darth Maul waited until Raef Caylon was far enough down the hall that he would not see the Sith Lord go into his former Master's office.

Satisfied with Caylon's distance, Maul left his shadowy corner, and strode up to Palpatine's door. As he reached for the latch, the door swung open.

"I was hoping you would appear sooner. Raef was asking about you," Palpatine's low, gravelly voice still held the same authority over Maul.

"_I_ am not his concern," Maul growled. "Just as he is not mine."

Palpatine arched his eyebrow at Maul, knowing full well that he was lying about that last bit. "Have you decided how you will spend your day with her?"

"Not yet. I was going to let her decide so that she would feel more comfortable with me."

"Oh, she still feels comfortable with you, Maul. Surely you can sense that when you are in her mind."

"She is suspicious of me, not exactly what I would consider comfortable, my Emperor."

Palpatine watched Maul again in silence. After several minutes had passed, he said, "I see. Well, you have a few hours to kill." That was a dismissal.

Maul bowed, then left. _What is he up to?_ he wondered.

"More than you know, my young Sith Lord," Palpatine said as the door locked behind Maul. "More than you know."

  


Darth Maul entered the spacious apartment that he shared with his apprentice. He sensed that the place was empty, much to his relief. He did not feel like teaching this afternoon.

Maul went into the kitchen to prepare himself a meal. He found a note on the refridgerator from his apprentice, but did not care to read it. He knew where the boy was; out with his friends at the club, as usual.

He sighed, wondering how he could cure the seventeen-year-old Twi'Lek of his favorite pastime. The reason Maul let him get away with it was simply to make up for the things he himself had missed because of Sidious' incessant need to turn Maul into a heartless killer.

But there was more to being a Sith than that.

Maul believed that interaction with other creatures - Force-users, or otherwise - was the best way to get to know one's enemies. Every species had its habits, and a more simple way to discover it and learn to use it to one's advantage had not yet been invented.

Taking a sip from the beverage he had prepared, Maul tried to figure out what he was going to do while he waited for Jareena's arrival.

  


Lance Breckin sat staring blankly at the computer screen before him.

Raine Taggart eyed him suspiciously, but Breckin did not notice. He considered trying to get his attention, but was distracted as Captain Lindsey returned to the Bridge. His manner told Taggart that he was in a foul mood.

His thoughts told Taggart why.

"Did you hear about Lou?" Taggart asked Breckin.

"Hear what about Lou?"

"That she left."

"I don't care," Breckin grumbled. "I hope she's happy with him."

"With who?"

"Park,"

Taggart looked over his shoulder at Park apparently talking to himself. He could sense the other's dark presence. "Park's right over there."

"Oh,"

"So, how's Simpson?"

Breckin was caught off-guard by the question. "Uh...she's fine."

"You don't sound very sure about that."

"She is," he insisted. "I just f-_saw_ her this morning."

Lindsey leaned in between the two. "Am I hosting a Talk Show, here? Do you two have some kind of unresolved issue in your past that needs to be worked out?" he growled at them.

Taggart knew better than to push the Captain just now. "No, Sir."

"Then shut your cake holes!"

Breckin practically fell off his chair. "Y-yes, Sir."

"Breckin, can you handle double shifts? Rustin's...finally declared himself unfit for work."

"Doesn't that leave me on triple shifts?"

"Rustin isn't very important on his shift. We don't use this station after Beta shift, anyway." Lindsey stated it like it was a well-known fact.

"Oh."

"So can you handle it?" he was getting impatient.

"Sure," Breckin shrugged. _Keeps me away from Corrina's room for awhile, prolongs my life_.

"Good." Lindsey returned to his place at the helm.

Out of the blue, Park yelled, "I do not have chicken legs!"

The crew turned as one to face him.

"Excuse me?" the Captain was flabbergasted by Park's outburst.

"Uh..." Park's eyes swept across the Bridge nervously. "Nothing."

Breckin muttered, "What a loser."

Taggart sat back in his chair, reaching out to the Disturbance in the Force. _What is your business here?_

_Who are you?_ Darth Maul demanded.

Park could hear the exchange between the two Force-users in his head.

Taggart tried to read the other's thoughts, knowing that he would be doing the same. _You're dead._

_So are you._

  


The connection was broken. Maul had other things to attend to now. He would discover the Jedi's purpose later.

At this moment, Jareena was requesting permission to land on one of Coruscant's many landing pads.

Darth Maul strode down the corridor to meet Jareena, the female he had not seen in four years.

  



	7. So We Meet Again

Lou stepped off the ramp, and took in her surroundings. She breathed in the familiar Coruscant atmosphere, smelling the exhaust fumes emitted from the many flying cars and factory smoke stacks.

She sensed a presence behind her, and turned. "Hello, Maul."

"Welcome back," even though it was genuine, his smile still seemed devious.

"I suppose you have our evening all planned out?"

"I thought you might wish a tour, since you have been away for so long."

"Lead the way."

  


Emperor Palpatine steepled his fingers, his eyes darting between Raef Caylon and Darth Maul's teenaged apprentice, S'Ritak Vedul. The young Twi'Lek looked fearful for his life.

"She has arrived," Palpatine hissed.

"Fantabulous!" Caylon grinned broadly, eyes sparkling.

Palpatine read his intentions, plucking his thoughts straight from his head. "Remember the plan, Raef. I _don't_ want to have to remind you again."

"I know, Sid, I know," he crossed his arms defiantly. "I won't muckle your plan."

"Good," the Emperor turned his cold gaze on Vedul. "You may go."

"Won't Master Maul sense my presence?" the Twi'Lek demanded.

Palpatine narrowed his eyes at the boy. He raised his hand, and zapped Vedul with blue Force-lightning. The young apprentice dropped to his knees, screaming for it to stop. "Don't ever question me again," the Emperor cautioned.

Caylon grinned down at Vedul as he coughed and sat up. "Haven't you learned not to piss Sid off, boy?"

"I have now," he muttered in reply.

Caylon laughed heartily. "You have your Master's sarcasm. I like it."

Palpatine glared at the two of them in silence.

  


* * *

  


Lou gazed at Maul through her glass, as he stuffed a forkfull of pasta into his mouth. "I didn't figure you for a pasta person, Maul," she told him.

He watched her watching him. "An _acquaintance_ of mine liked pasta, and after she disappeared I decided to try it." he paused. "Maybe you know her; blue skin, orange eyes? She used to be a dancer in a night club I frequented, but since then she has taken to fighting in the Rebellion. And the night club has been destroyed."

"Hmm," Lou pretended to think for a moment.

"She also changed her name, and gained some odd friends," he was pressing his luck with that statement, and he knew it.

Lou looked up at him from her chicken parmasian, slightly annoyed at the cheap shot. "You didn't have to do that to him."

'That' being make him float; 'him' being Park.

Maul grinned at her. "I was trying to get your attention."

"You had my attention. The rest of the crew did _not_ need a glimpse into my past, Maul. That was unnecessary, and you know it."

"I enjoyed that," he sipped his Chryne. Lou observed him in silence. "Do you like the view?"

"You have quite the ego, Darth Maul," she stated.

"So I've been told."

"You should work on suppressing the urge to impress the galaxy. No one's paying attention."

"Ouch, Jareena."

"Don't call me that in here."

"No one will touch you."

"Until you drop your guard."

"I _never_ drop my guard."

They finished their meals in silence, Lou continually wondering what plot was hanging in the background, and why Maul looked like he was trying to stifle his grin.

  


"Are we gonna go after her?" Park demanded again.

"Why do you keep asking me that?" Jenkens growled.

"Because we're her friends, and we owe it to her to rescue her."

"She wasn't captured, Genious, she left. Of her own free will, might I add," he closed the book he had been reading when Park stormed into his quarters, demanding that they take a shuttle to Coruscant. "How do you know where she went?"

Park knocked over a vase by accident in reaction to the question. "She told me," he said slowly.

"You knew she was leaving and you didn't opt for tag-along?" Jenkens did not believe him.

"Uh...she told me I'd just be in the way."

"Lou'd never say that to ya, Park. Are you done trying to B.S. your way through this?"

Park suddenly turned uncharacteristically serious. "Are you gonna come with me or not?"

The doors slid open, and Taggart stepped inside Jenkens' quarters. "I'll go with you, Mortimer."

He furrowed his eyes at his crewmate. "Why?"

"I have business on Coruscant," he answered.

"Business with - "

"_Yes_," Taggart cut Park off before he could finish. "When do we leave?"

"Whoa, whoa, hold it," Jenkens held up his hands. "What's in it for me if I come along?"

Taggart replied, "Excitement, adventure, some fighting - "

"The inner joy of knowing you helped a friend in need," Park added. Jenkens sat with his eyebrow arched. "I _suppose_ we could dig up some credits."

"Alright, I'm in."

"Great. Who else should we bring? We can't go just the three of us, it won't work."

"Who else _would_ come? Come on, Park. No one else'll _want_ to. This _rescue mission_ isn't exactly a brilliant idea." Jenkens returned.

Park turned to Taggart. "I'll speak to Kane, if that's what you are expecting, but he's stubborn; he won't agree to do this."

"So, what do we do?" Park asked. "Do you know someone else who could - "

"I can't ask them. I defected a long time ago."

"Them? Defected? What aren't you telling me?" Jenkens interjected. "My co-operation hangs in the balance on this one."

Park shot back, "I thought your co-operation hung in the balance of how many creds I could scrape together?"

Jenkens scowled at him, then looked to Taggart expectantly. "Are you going to let me in on the secret?"

He read Jenkens' thoughts to determine his trustworthiness. "My past is not as important as you now think, Jenkens. Let it go," he turned to leave.

"For now, alright. But I expect - "

"Don't expect too much, Jenkens. I wouldn't want to disappoint you," he stated as the doors slid shut behind him.

Jenkens turned to Park. "What do you know?"

"About Taggart?" He nodded. "I heard his voice in my head."

"What?"

"Time to go," Park left Jenkens' room.

"What the _hell_ am I getting myself into?" Jenkens wondered aloud.

  


The night enveloped the young Twi'Lek apprentice, hiding him in its cloak, as he crouched in the shadows outside the apartment building. S'Ritak Vedul could not help wondering how his Master would not sense his presence through the Force as soon as he and Jareena returned, but the Emperor had assured Vedul that he could not be detected.

The anti-gravity vehicle came to a halt in front of the building. Vedul held his breath as Darth Maul helped Jareena out of the vehicle. He released the breath as his Master and his companion entered the glass double-doors without even so much as a glance in Vedul's direction.

_I told you how this would be_, Palpatine's voice hissed.

_I apologize, Master._

_You may proceed now._

Vedul emerged from his hiding place, and strode into the building.

  


As he unlocked the door to the apartment, Darth Maul swept the room through the Force to ensure that his apprentice was not home. Sensing nothing, Maul pushed the door open, using the Force to illuminate the room.

He allowed Lou to enter first, and she immediately set to examining the décor. She stopped before an emerald bird with its wings spread, and ran her fingers along their tips.

Maul watched her curiously, a slight smile curling his lips as he remembered their first encounter. He moved closer, and she turned to face him. He brushed his fingers through her dark green hair.

Lou gazed into his eyes. "What are you doing, Maul?"

He moved his face closer to hers. "Finishing what we started."

She let him kiss her, wanting to confirm that there was still something between them. Lou pulled back, and tried to read the lustful look in his eyes. He led her to the futon that his apprentice usually slept on, his hand on her cheek and on her back under her shirt.

  


_Go now_.

Vedul opened the door to the apartment at the same time as Maul pushed Lou down onto the futon. "Master, I need your assistance."

Maul's head jerked up in the direction of his apprentice, the Twi'Lek's Force presence suddenly detectable.

"What are you doing here?" Maul demanded, not getting off Lou. "Could you not sense that I did not want to be disturbed?"

"I - " Vedul faltered, looking behind him. He hurriedly closed the door. "I don't know how long it will take them to catch up."

"Who?" Maul stood, and went to the window. "What have you gotten yourself into this time?" he growled.

Lou sat up on the futon, suddenly feeling out of place, though she had no where else to go.

"Some guys from the club. We were playing Sabacc, Master, and they accused me of cheating," the young apprentice explained.

"Were you?"

"Of course," the Twi'Lek grinned.

Maul rolled his eyes at Vedul. "Jareena, I apologize for my apprentice's intrusion."

Lou smiled at the Twi'Lek as she spoke. "It's alright. Sounds like these things happen frequently."

"Too frequently," Maul shot at the boy, eyes blazing.

"I am sorry, My Master."

"You must work on not getting caught," the Sith Lord turned away from the window, closing the drapes with the power of the Force. "No one is coming," he stated impatiently. It was meant as a dismissal.

Vedul strode to the window, and peered out himself. Maul folded his arms across his chest, facing Lou, his back to the Twi'Lek.

_Now_.

Vedul grabbed the nearest vase, and smashed it over his Master's head. Maul stumbled to the ground, unconscious.

"What are you doing?" Lou got up off the futon, backing toward the door.

The alien glanced down at his Master's crumpled form. "He'll be alright." Vedul waited as Lou lunged for the door, but was not worried for he was holding it closed with the Force.

  


* * *

  


Several hours had passed by the time Lou opened her eyes. She was in a small, dark room, the only light filtering in from under the door.

"Maul?" she called to the darkness hopefully.

The door slid open, revealing Caylon and a man hidden by his black Sith robes.

"What the hell do you want, Caylon?" she demanded, getting up off the floor.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he arched his eyebrow suggestively.

"Oh, _please_," she scoffed. "As_ if_ I'd ever give you the time of day."

"In a few more hours, it will be," he grinned.

Lou rolled her eyes. "What's this about? And who are you?"

The shrouded visage met her gaze, the man's eyes boring into hers. "All will be revealed in due time."

"Your voice. I know your voice."

Caylon arched his eyebrow, while the other narrowed his eyes at Lou. "Do you," he replied, his tone flat. "Isn't that interesting."

  


The first thing Darth Maul became aware of was the pillow under his head. The last thing he remembered was his apprentice smashing a vase over his head, why was there a pillow under his head?

His apprentice. Maul narrowed his eyes, trying to decide which form of torture he would use first on Vedul, before he eventually killed the trecherous little weasel.

"I am right here, Master Maul," Vedul spoke up from the futon.

Maul leapt to his feet, drawing his lightsabre, which was, surprisingly enough, still fastened to his belt. He raised the glowing red tip to his apprentice's throat. "Apparently you were not paying attention the day I lectured you about loyalty," he hissed.

"But I was, Master. You said that our loyalty must lie with the Emperor, above all else," the Twi'Lek tried not to sound too haughty; his Master was quite angered by his previous actions. Understandably.

Maul's rage subsided enough that he backed off. "The Emperor requested that you smash a _vase_ over my _head_?"

"No, I improvised that."

The Sith Lord paced the room. "What is Palpatine's plan for my dear blue friend?" he was talking more to himself than the Twi'Lek.

"Rescue her," Vedul shrugged.

"What?" Maul stopped pacing, and glowered at his apprentice.

"Well," the boy swallowed, ill at ease with the look Maul had fixed him with, "From what I understood of the plan, his Majesty expected you to rescue the girl. So that she would trust you."

"She already trusts me," he snapped.

"Not enough, I guess."

Maul's gaze narrowed. "Where is the Emperor keeping her captive?" Instead of waiting for an answer, he probed Vedul's mind for the location. "The Imperial Palace. Why in the Galaxy would he have her there?"

Vedul shrugged. "He did not tell me. And I was not going to ask."

Maul sat down in the chair to his left, then turned it away from his apprentice. Palpatine had turned the Twi'Lek into an enemy, as well as the Emperor himself, in this scenario. The Sith Lord thought about his options: he could do as Vedul had indicated was what Palpatine had expected, by rescuing Jareena, or he could leave her to the Emperor's hands.

"I don't believe that you will for a second," Vedul stated. "She means something to you, Master, I can sense it."

"She means nothing to me."

"Then explain why you were engaged in - "

"S'Ritak, I do _not_ have to explain _anything_ I do to _you_," he turned the chair back around. "You must find another place to stay for the time being."

"It has been arranged, Master. Palpatine has assured me. You needn't concern yourself with that."

"I see. What reason does the Emperor have for leaving me out of his scheme?"

"_That_, you would have to take up with him."

  


* * *

  


The small spacecraft materialized out of Hyperspace. Taggart eased the ship into orbit around the small moon. Checking the location once again, he then cut the engines, and left the ship on autopilot.

He sensed Park enter the cockpit. "Good morning, Park."

"Hey," he sat down in the co-pilot's chair, and looked out the forward viewport. "Um, Tag, where are we?"

"Guess."

"Uh, well, it _looks_ like," Park brought up a map of the area. "Léonna VI." His brow creased with innocent confusion. "Why are we orbiting Léonna VI?"

"I have to know what happened here."

Park worked his jaw, trying to think of an argument. He noticed that Taggart was watching him intently. He sighed, resting his chin in his hand, elbow on the control board. "How long do you need?"

"A couple of hours." Taggart was glad he did not have to use an outside influence on Park.

"What are you looking for, exactly?"

"The report said there was a spy. I want to find her."

"Her? How do you - "

"Don't, Park. There are things about me that you do _not_ need to know."

Park nodded, understanding Taggart's want for security; Lou being Park's only real friend on the _Angel_. Now that she had returned to Coruscant without letting anyone know that she was leaving, he was worried. He did not like Darth Maul at all, and could not figure out why Lou would go to him.

"I would not have stopped us here if she was in danger, Park. You have to trust that."

"Where in the Galaxy - ?"Jenkens entered the cockpit.

"Léonna VI," Park answered automatically. "Tag, here, wants to gather evidence to expose a spy."

"I see."

"We'll be on the right side of the planet to land at the remains of the base in twenty-eight minutes," Taggart stated. "I hope both of you will help me."

"Of course we will, Raine. Helena was my friend, too," Jenkens nodded.

"Park?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm in."

"Thank you. Both."

  


* * *

  


"I'm taking us down," Jenkens spoke into the intercomm. "Brace yourselves for touchdown."

The ship lurched as its landing gear touched down on the cracked stone platform outside the remnants of the Alliance base on Léonna VI.

Taggart was the first one to the ramp, even before Jenkens had cut the engines entirely. He waited impatiently for the metal to lower itself to the ground, stepping out onto it, though it still hung in mid-air.

"Whoa, slow down there, Turbo," Park called from inside the craft.

"The faster we move, the sooner we leave," he replied over his shoulder.

"Good point," Jenkens joined Park at the exit.

They descended the ramp together, Park falling slightly behind, then followed Taggart to the base.

The doors lay five feet away from the base, leaving the three men with the impression that they had been blown out, caused by an interior explosion. Taggart used the Force to seek out any survivors - or marauders - hidden inside. He sensed nothing, which meant that ysalamiri, the Force-blocking animals, were probably present. And that meant other answer-seekers, like themselves. People who did not want to be surprised by a Jedi - or a former Jedi, whichever the case may be.

Taggart stepped inside the gaping entranceway, then waited for his eyes to adjust to the low light. He could see sparks along the walls. "Be careful, you two. There are exposed wires throughout the corridor."

"Lucky us."

  



	8. It's The Pirate's Life For Me

At the other end of the base, two men carried a crate between them up the ramp and into the cargo bay of their ship, _Watcher's Light_.

Wesley Giles, the younger of the two, being in his late twenties, lost his grip on his side of the crate.

"Dammit, Boy, what the hell are you doing?" the other, Trepur Espen, yelled at him, letting go of his end.

Wesley looked up at Espen in annoyance. "Well, you see, I have this goal to crush all my toes before I'm thirty, and I figured, 'Hey, this is a big heavy crate, why not crush them all at once?'"

Espen strode around the crate, eyes blazing. He grabbed the young man by his dark hair, and growled into his ear, "I'm about out of patience for you, Wesley. Now pick up the damn crate, and drag it in the hold yourself." Espen released the other, then marched back down the ramp, and returned to the inside of the base.

"Bitch," Wesley huffed, grabbing the edge of the crate, and pulling it the rest of the way into the _Light_.

His twin sister, Deanna, looked up at the sound of angry mutterings to one's self and wood scraping metal. "Need a hand, Scruffy?"

"No, I enjoy dragging heavy crates behind me _all by myself_."

"Oh, okay," she went back to re-wiring the circuits for the forklift.

"I was kidding, Bushroot. Get over here."

"One sec, I think I've got this," Deanna hopped into the driver's seat, and pressed the green button to start the ignition. The engine sputtered before roaring to life.

Wesley turned toward his sister and her triumph, deciding to leave the crate where it was. "I can't believe you fixed that hunk of junk. It's been dead for years!"

"I told you I could!" she grinned.

"Good work," he stepped sideways, then pointed at the crate behind him. "Now you can move that over there," he pointed across the room to four other crates in the corner. "With the other ones."

Deanna drove the forklift toward her brother. It took him a few seconds to realize that she was aiming for him, and not the crate.

"Hey!" he exclaimed in surprise, jumping and rolling to the deck.

She was laughing. "Nice dive."

"That's not funny, Bushroot! You could have killed me!"

"Could've, should've, didn't." she used the arms of the lift to pick up the crate. She maneuvered the vehicle across the cargo hold, then set the crate on the floor. "What's in this one?"

"Just some reusable wires and circuit boards, I think."

"Oh, goody!" she clapped her hands together excitedly.

"Not necessarily for you," Wesley added.

"Of course they are. They always are," she parked the forklift beside the double doors.

Espen and the twins' father, Gerard Giles, ascended the ramp, another crate between them. They carried it to the back of the room, and set it down apart from the others.

"Stay out of this one, Kiddies," Espen said. "It's not for you."

"Why? What's in it?" Wesley meandered over to the crate to see if it was marked in any way.

Giles put his hand on his son's shoulders. "Leave it, Wes."

Wesley backed off, but more because of the look on Espen's face than his father's tone.

"Deanna, prep the ship for take-off. There are only a couple of crates left, we'll be leaving shortly," Giles told his daughter.

She nodded, then headed into the cockpit.

"Do you need my help?" Wesley asked.

"Yeah, one of 'em's fairly light weight," Espen nodded mockingly. "I'm sure you can handle it."

"Shut up, Espen," he shot back.

"Easy you two," Giles led the way back into the base. "We're all on the same side here. Even if it is temporary."

"Good thing."

  


Park shone the mini-light into the bulkhead. He recognized the remnants of the wires that would return the lights, but there was no way he could cross them to provide illumination.

He fingered the headset he was wearing, then spoke into it, "There is definitely no way I can get the lights working. Not from here, anyway. I'll try another room, but don't get your hopes up."

"What about logs, Park? Where did they keep the logs?" Jenkens asked him, as he replaced the panel over the bulkhead.

"Logs? Like, for fires and stuff?"

"No, dumbass, the record logs."

"Oh, well, how'm I s'posed to know?" Park shot back.

Taggart broke in over the comm, "I've already got them."

"Good," Park said. "Then let's get back to the ship so we can go after Mi." Jenkens snickered. "Shut up."

  


"Shut up yourself, Espen," Wesley snapped.

"I didn't say nothin'," he growled, shoving the other into the wall.

"Ow!" Wesley righted himself, then leapt onto the bigger man's back, punching him in the back of the head. "I'm tired of you pushing me around, dammit!"

  


Park heard the skirmish down the hall. "Is that either of you two?" he whispered.

"Not me, I'm almost at the ship," Jenkens stated.

"And I'm at the other end of the station," Taggart replied.

"Then we're not alone," Park clung to the wall as he made his way down the hall, toward the noises.

"Figures," Jenkens muttered.

"Doesn't it, though?"

"Leave them be, Park. Whoever they are, we don't need to meet," Taggart told him.

Park turned the corner, and saw that the larger of the two had the smaller, younger one pinned against the wall, his fingers wrapped tightly around his throat. The pinned man was kicking at the other furiously, trying to struggle free. The big man's face was expressionless.

"Uh, excuse me? I think that guy would appreciate a little air," Park told the other.

Espen slowly turned his head in the newcomer's direction. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.

"That's one of those things we'll discuss _after_ you put him down."

"Espen, Wesley, where did you two - " Giles entered the scene. "Espen! Get your damned hands _off_ my son!"

Espen threw Wesley to the floor, then stormed back to the _Watcher's Light_. "Tell him to stay out of my way, Giles, and everything'll work out."

"You learn to deal with it, or you'll be _walking_ back to Coruscant." the old captain shot back.

Park helped Wesley to his feet, as Jenkens stated over the comm that he was almost to his position.

"I don't know who you are, but thank you," Giles held out his hand to Park.

"For what?" Wesley scoffed. "Helping me up?"

Giles gave his son a look, then smiled at the stranger. "You'll have to excuse Wesley, he woke up on the wrong side of the Hyperdrive this morning. Oh wait, he does that every morning," he grinned at the young man.

Wesley narrowed his eyes at his father, but said nothing - though he wanted to.

"My name is Captain Gerard Giles, of the _Watcher's Light_. And you are?"

"Lieutenant Mortimer Park, of the _Angel_."

They shook hands. "You're a long way from home, Park. What are you doing all the way out here? Alone, no less."

"Oh, he's not alone," Jenkens cut in. "Unless, of course, me'n Taggart leave him here."

"You'd better not!"

"Bradford Jenkens," he held out his hand.

"Gerard Giles, and my son, Wesley."

Jenkens offered the young man his hand, but received no greeting in return.

"I'll be aboard the _Light_, Dad."

"Tell your sister we'll be leaving shortly."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm a better pilot than she is." he grumbled.

"If you say so, Wes. Anyway, as you were saying about your mission?" Giles pushed for answers.

"Nevermind about that. We _are_ with the Alliance," Taggart broke into the conversation. "You and your family are scavengers."

Giles recognized that voice. He turned slowly, a smile on his face. Taggart used a mind trick on the man before he could say anything to reveal his former identity. Instead, the Captain turned back to Park and Jenkens, Park being the only one to find this odd.

"We should go. I can watch the logs on our ship while we travel."

"Where are you travelling to?" Giles inquired.

"None of your business."

"I see. Well, I guess I may see you around."

Taggart gazed at the other man intensely for several seconds, before shaking his head. "No, you won't," he then turned from him, and continued back to the ship.

Park and Jenkens said their goodbyes, then followed their crewmate outside.

Giles watched the three leave, curious to know what Taggart had meant. He returned to his own ship, _Watcher's Light_.

  


"So, Tag, how do you know that what you need is on those log disks?" Park interrupted the other's thoughts.

"I just do."

"Oh, kinda like you just knew that Giles was going to spoil your b-reakfast?" Park stopped walking, confused by his own words. That was not what he had intended to say, but for some reason, he could not remember what it was he _had_ intended to say.

Jenkens was already aboard, not even listening.

"Park, listen to me," Taggart turned on him. "I want you to stop trying to figure me out. Obviously, if it was important for you to know, I would tell you without hesitation."

"Can I ask you one question?"

"No, I am not a Sith. Or a former Sith. There are more Force-sensitive beings out there than just the Sith. Now, let it go. No more questions, no more prodding."

Park nodded, then ascended the ramp. Jenkens warmed up the engines, eager to get off-world. Taggart sighed, and looked back at the former secret base. A single tear rolled down his cheek. "Helena, I'm sorry I wasn't here when you needed me."

Jenkens flipped on the external speakers. "Come on, Raine. The only thing you can do now is expose that spy so this doesn't happen again."

Taggart went into the ship, just as the _Watcher's Light_ entered the planet's atmosphere.

  


Meanwhile, several thousand lightyears away, the _Angel_ was under attack. A swarm of TIE fighters had caught them off-guard during one of their skeleton-crew shifts. The TIE's had come out of Hyperspace, lasers firing.

"Shields, forty-five percent," Nordat called to her Captain.

"We can't take another series of shots like those last ones," Breckin stated.

"Yes, Breckin, I am well - " Lindsey's remark was cut off as the _Angel _lurched.

"Oh my gosh," Nordat breathed. "Captain, I know how they figured out our position. _And_ that we were undercrewed."

"How?"

"Someone onboard sent them a message."

"Someone - ?" Lindsey swept his crew with a disapproving glare.

Breckin's gaze unintentionally fell on Simpson. He quickly looked away before she noticed.

A TIE flew directly toward the _Angel_, in a game of chicken.

"Captain?" Simpson wanted an order.

"Steady as she goes, Lieutenant," Lindsey stared at the TIE, as if locked in a death glare with the pilot.

Green laser spilled out of the cannons, splashing across the remainder of the _Angel_'s shield.

"Shields five percent," Nordat said. "Lindsey, we have to - "

"Sir, I'm reading - eight homers headed straight at us! Time to impact, fifteen seconds...thirteen..." Simpson counted off.

Breckin plotted a course that would take them out of battle, even if it would not be implemented. "Captain, I suggest we get the hell out of here, while we still have our hyperdrive intact."

"I agree," Nordat spoke up. "Staying here, it's suicide."

"Six...five...f - "

The ship shook in different directions as the homing missiles impacted the hull. The first two took out the shields, leaving the _Angel_ completely exposed. The third, fourth, and fifth hit the engines, leaving the ship dead in space. After the impact of the next three, the lights, sensors, and all things electrical went out.

"We're sitting ducks," Nordat stated.

"I'm detecting several launches. Escape pods, Lindsey. Everyone's leaving," Simpson informed them all, just before her station blinked out.

"TIE's moving to - they're going after the pods!" Nordat had run to the viewport.

"There's nothing we can do for them," the Captain stated. "How many pods were launched?"

"I'm not sure," Simpson shook her head. "There's no way to tell."

Lindsey assigned the other six members of his crewmen to search the ship for survivors, while he, Nordat, Simpson, and Breckin prepped the second shuttle for their escape.

Nordat lagged behind, peering through the windows. "The pods and TIEs are gone."

"They could be on the other side of the ship, and you just can't see them from here," Simpson snapped.

"Come on, you two, we've got a shuttle to get to." Breckin took Simpson's hand in his, leading her away from the plexi-glass.

Nordat followed solemnly. "Do you think that any of the pods got away?"

"We can hope," Lindsey said, unlocking the hangar door.

The four set to work clearing the floor and getting ready for take-off. Nordat ran preliminary checks on the engines, while Breckin plotted their course.

"Where do we want to go?" he asked.

"Whatever's closest. We don't have fuel for a long journey." Lindsey explained.

"If only we knew where those damn fighters went." Simpson muttered.

"That would be helpful, wouldn't it?" Breckin replied, bringing up an interstellar map. After careful calculation, he concluded that Coruscant was a safe bet, but he was assuming they would not encounter any setbacks.

"Isn't there somewhere else, less Imperially populated?" Simpson asked calmly.

"Well," he examined the map again. "We might be able to get to Aria. It's a little bit farther to go, but you're right, Coruscant's a bad idea."

"Where are the others?" Lindsey grumbled, going down the ramp to have a look down the hall.

The ship lurched violently. They could hear steel wrenching lose from steel.

"Captain!" Simpson yelled down the ramp. "We have to get out of here! We're coming apart!"

Lindsey ran to the inner door, and tried to see through the window. All he could make out was smoke, grey billowing smoke, occasionally illuminated by flickers of blue and green light. The Captain raised his fingers to the keypad to enter his passcode.

Simpson grabbed him by the wrist. "Sir, there may be no gravity or pressure. You could destabalize this bay. We have to go, Kane. They're gone: Casualties of war."

The Captain listened to her words, not entirely believing what she was saying. When did Simpson get so decisive?

Another wave of gut-curling metal tearing reached their ears.

Captain Kane Lindsey was forced to make the hardest decision of his life. "Let's go."

The two returned inside the shuttle.

"Take us out," Simpson told Breckin.

He nodded to her. She kissed him for good luck, then sat down and strapped herself into the seat behind him.

Nordat gave the command for the outer doors to open. Breckin maneuvered the shuttle into open space.

"Here goes nothing," he said under his breath.

Lindsey stared sadly as the _Angel_ faded from his view. Even after entering Hyperspace, his eyes remained where his ship had been. He could see from the exterior that the damage was too extensive, it could not be salvaged. Most of the _Angel_ had broken apart, floating freely in space.

He was not sure, but he thought he saw bodies. _Floating_.

Nordat glanced over her shoulder. Lindsey had been silent since returning to the shuttle. She reached around and patted his knee comfortingly, but he did not take his eyes from the stars streaking past outside.

  


The doors to Palpatine's office opened for S'Ritak Vedul before he even stepped off the lift. He strode down the corridor, trying to look menacing.

"Stop trying, Vedul. Twi'Leks are _not_ fierce to begin with," the Emperor stated.

"They're just oogly," Caylon grinned at the young Sith.

Vedul narrowed his eyes in annoyance at Caylon. "Is there a reason why you're here?"

"Absolutely. I was just tellin' Sid, here, that both of my sources have relayed a very enthusiastic missions completed."

"That, and he was sucking up." Palpatine rose from his chair. "How is Maul? Angered, I presume?"

"Quite," the apprentice nodded.

Both Sith sensed Darth Maul enter the building.

"Raef, you should go. This could get messy."

"But I thought I was supposed to help. I _will_ protect you with my life, Sire."

"I appreciate that, Raef, I really do," Palpatine hissed. "Now _leave_." He used the Force to reinforce the command.

"As you wish," Caylon bowed, then departed.

"We have to make this look good." Palpatine raised his arms, calling on the energy he controlled.

Vedul could not mask his surprise, as the first bolt of blue lightning struck him square in the chest.

  


Darth Maul Force-threw the guard against the wall, not even looking in the man's direction. He was going to the dungeons in the lower levels of the Imperial Palace to free Jareena. Whatever Palpatine was up to, Maul was not about to get left out of the loop.

Four Imperial Guards, in their crimson robes rounded the corner behind the Sith Lord. He turned quickly, grabbing for his lightsabre. He easily deflected the guards' blasts with the glowing blade back at them, striking two, one of whom was killed instantly. The wounded guard's head twisted in an unnatural way. The sound of bone breaking echoed down the corridor.

The remaining two guards continued to fire at Maul, only to have the bolts of electricity deflected harmlessly into the floor or walls. Maul used the Force to strangle one guard, continuing to block the laser fire at the same time. When the guard dropped lifelessly to the floor, the Sith leapt through the air at the final remaining crimson-clad man. He brought the glowing blade down on the guard's skull, slicing it down the centre.

Licking his lips in satisfaction, Maul ran down the stairs to the dungeons.

  


Lou heard footsteps approaching, and she tried to meld into the wall. After five hours of torture, she just wanted to be left alone. She hoped that whoever it was was bringing her something to eat or drink. Lou was parched, mentally and physically exhausted, and very afraid.

Out of nowhere, Lou hoped the being making his way through the darkness was Darth Maul coming to rescue her.

A shadow passed by, how she noticed it among the other shadows, she was uncertain. The shadow returned, this time stopping in front of the door.

Lou covered her ears to block out the squealing hinges, squeezing her eyes shut. She jumped when a hand touched her shoulder, more from surprise than fear. She accepted the offered hand, and slowly stood.

"Are you alright?" Maul asked quietly.

Lou was surprised to hear the concern in his voice. "I've had better days," she leaned on him for support. "You won't be in trouble for this, will you?"

"No. I believe this to be part of the Emperor's twisted plan."

"What about the boy?"

"S'Ritak was doing what I instructed him to do. I apologize for his misinterpretation of my words. Do you know why the Emperor wanted you here?"

"I...He kept saying something about unleashing my power. I don't know what the old coot's talking about."

Maul groaned. "I think I do."

  


The two Imperial guards dragged the unconscious body of Maul's apprentice to the elevator, then threw him in. One of them pressed the button for the main floor, while the other checked the silent alarm.

"Let them escape," Palpatine's voice carried down the hall. "But don't make it seem too easy."

The guards nodded in sync, then got on the other elevator.

  


Vedul came to in the elevator. He sat up, gingerly touching the charred skin on his chest. Closing his eyes, trying to ignore the pain, he summoned his Master through the Force.

  


"S'Ritak's in trouble," Maul stated, sensing the young Twi'Lek's distress.

"You brought _him_ here? After he clobbered you with a _vase_? An expensive-looking one at that." Lou scoffed.

"Expensive it was. I'll fix it later."

"How can you - "

"Trust him? He is still my apprentice," he stated, slightly annoyed. "My job is to teach him the ways of the Dark Side. He is only a boy; he is still learning."

"He betrayed you," she stated.

"It was to serve the Emperor, which I told him should always come first."

"Oh really," she exhaled slowly, a sudden pain in her side hindering her movement.

Maul opened the doors with the Force. They stepped out into the cool night air. "I have to go back - "

"I know."

"Stay here, I won't be long," he went back inside for his apprentice.

Lou leaned back against the wall to wait. She wondered which hovercar was Maul's.

  


Vedul stepped out of the elevator, wondering how long he could maintain his balance. He stumbled several steps, hoping Maul would hurry. He did not notice the group of Imperial guards enter the lobby on his left, all the young Sith's focus on calling his Master.

"S'Ritak!" Maul yelled at the Twi'Lek. Vedul dropped to the floor. He howled in pain, rolling onto his back. Maul ignited both ends of his lightsabre, and attacked the crimson-clad guards.

  


Lou raised her head, knowing somehow that she was needed. She got up slowly, stood still to get her bearings, then ran inside the Imperial Palace.

The first thing she saw was the unmistakable red glow of Darth Maul's double-bladed lightsabre. He was fighting off a handful of Imperial guards.

Vedul, Maul's apprentice, lay in agony on the floor. She did not get this impression from his physical state; she could _feel_ his pain somehow.

Lou ran to the alien boy. She helped him sit up. "Can you walk?"

"With a certain degree of help, I think so," he answered.

"Good. Come on," she pulled Vedul to his feet, and he put his arm around her shoulders. "Maul!"

The Sith Lord sliced the final guard in half, then jogged toward them. "I thought I - "

"You needed another set of hands," she silenced him.

Maul glared at her, then took the lead to his hovercar.

"What will we do now, Master?"

"Go home, patch you up, pack, then leave. Palpatine's up to something, and if he doesn't want my help, then he will have my opposition."

  



	9. Who Said Anything About Forbidden?

* * *

  


Wesley tip-toed to the boxes stacked in the corner. Someone had moved them around to conceal the 'forbidden' crate that Espen protected. Wesley set a crate aside, searching for the one he was not supposed to open.

Ten minutes passed, and he was still shifting the merchandise around. "Dammit, where is it?" he muttered, looking around him at the scattered wooden cubes, hands on hips.

Wesley groaned. The crate he sought sat in the corner with a duffle bag. He hopped over the re-arranged crates, then knelt in front of the box of unknown contents. Stretching his arms in anticipation, he did not notice the doors hiss open behind him. Wesley set to deciphering a mode of entry. Although it looked wooden, it turned out to be metal. He discovered that there was a holographic projector in the lid. Turning it off revealed a keypad.

"Password, password, what's the password?" he wondered aloud.

"Want me to try?" Deanna broke in, making her brother jump.

"Don't _do_ that!" he yelled at her.

"What are you doing, Wes? Dad said - "

"I wanna know what Espen's hiding. I don't like that guy, Bushroot."

"I don't like him either, Scruffy, but we have to deal. Dad knows what he's doing." she knelt beside him, and scanned the keypad for fingerprints. "Four, three, eight, six, two," she read off the numbers.

"But in what order?" Deanna shrugged at him. "Well, I guess it's guess and check, then," he sighed.

"You touch that, and you'll be floating among the stars, my friends," Espen replied coolly from the hangar doorway.

The twins got to their feet and spun around. "We're not friends, Espen," Wesley shot back.

"Aw, I'm hurt," he sneered, whipping out his blaster. "Step away from the box."

"Not until you tell us what's in it."

"Scruffy - " Deanna touched his arm uncertainly.

"I _will_ kill your sister without a second thought, Boy."

"Then you'll be the one floating among the stars."

"Brave words coming from someone on the receiving end of a blaster." 

They glared at each other, neither one flinching.

"Please, you two, I don't like being the one in the middle," Deanna said quietly.

"Yeah, get out of here," Espen stepped aside, not breaking the eye contact.

She tugged on her brother's sleeve, then exited the cargo bay. As Wesley passed him, Espen let off a shot that barely missed his head. Wesley spun on his heel, and Deanna grabbed his arm to hold him back.

"Sorry," Espen held up his robotic left hand. "It's evil."

"Come on, Wes," Deanna pulled him away.

"My father will hear about this," he called down the hall.

"Indeed he shall," Espen nodded.

Wesley turned around, no longer wanting to face the despised man. "Let's blow him out the airlock," he grumbled.

"I don't think that's a good plan," Deanna shook her head. "How about you just avoid him as best you can for the next couple of days? The _Light_'s a decent enough sized ship."

"I like my idea better."

"Yeah, me too," she shrugged. "But what can ya do?" Wesley grinned deviously. "Other than that," she added.

Wesley laughed.

  


Espen looked down the hall to make sure no one was coming. Seeing nothing, he carried the duffle bag over his shoulder and the box to his quarters, where Wesley would not have such easy access to it.

"Need a hand, Espen?" Giles inquired.

"Where did you come from?" he did not stop, or slow down for the Captain.

"I just saw my son."

"I hope so."

"He was not pleased with you."

"I expect not."

"Wanna tell me what happened?"

"No."

"Not even to defend yourself?"

"I told him to stay away from my things."

Giles was outraged by this man's blatant uncaring for anyone other than himself. "You do _not_ come aboard my ship and threaten _my _children over a box of merchandise!"

"Be careful, Giles," Espen set the box down, then entered the code to grant him entry to the quarters he had been assigned. "My employer would do more than threaten."

The Captain watched the man disappear into the room. He shook his head, wondering why he agreed to transport this man in the first place. "Credits, Gerard. You only ever agree to do _anything_ for credits," he muttered, heading back the way he had come.

Wesley stood up, seeing his father approaching. "Well? What did - "

"Wes, listen to me _very_ carefully," Giles clamped his hands down on his son's shoulders. "I don't _care_ how much you despise Espen. You stay _away_ from him. You stay _away_ from his stuff. Get it?"

"Yeah," Wesley nodded slowly.

"Good. Now go to bed."

"But Dad - "

"I mean it, Wesley. Espen is a _huge_ pain in the ass, and I know that, but I - _we_ have to complete this mission. On time. With no setbacks."

"He threatened Bushroot," he was beginning to feel defeated.

"He gave you a fat lip and a black eye," Giles said.

Wesley met his father's eyes. "I never - "

"I'm not stupid, Wes," the Captain continued down the hall.

Wesley stared after him.

  


* * *

  


"Captain Lindsey, we've got issues," Breckin stated, trying to mask the panic in his voice.

Lindsey was not really listening, staring out the window. He had barely moved except to shift position in the eight hours they had been traveling.

"Kane?" Nordat pulled the Captain out if his thoughts. He met her soft gaze. "We're not going to make it to Aria."

"Why not?"

"We're out of fuel," Breckin answered, as the engines cut out. He turned around in his seat. "We're dead."

"No, we're not," Simpson said. "I've sent out a distress signal."

"What?" Breckin's expression was panicked. "What if a bunch of TIEs find us? What then? Brilliant plan, Corrina, brilliant."

"Calm down, _Lance_. It's coded for Alliance reception only. Unlike _some _of us, _I_ think before I act," she threw a look at Lindsey, but he did not catch it.

Nordat did. "Hey! We had to get out of there, or we would have been killed. Kane did the right thing."

"Kane? You're on a first-name basis with our Captain now?" Breckin attacked.

"Cut it out, all of you," Lindsey cut in. "First off, we are not dead, Bracklin. I know these stars, this is a well-used shipping route. Thousands of smugglers pass this way every day. Secondly, this is a small, confined place, but we have to cope. The longest we'll have to wait is a few more hours. So just relax."

"This coming from you," Simpson muttered.

Lindsey looked away from her angered expression. "Alright, you three work on getting us rescued. I'm going to go lie down," he went into the sleeping quarters behind the cockpit.

"Why did you have to do that, Simpson?" Nordat asked quietly, after the door had slid shut.

"Do what? Snap him back into reality? I didn't see you volunteering," she sat in the Captain's vacated seat.

"Snap him back? He never left! He's never had to leave his crew behind before, Corrina, he's trying to **deal******with reality!"

"Oh, please stop yelling," Breckin pleaded. "This doesn't help us."

"What do you suggest, my dear?" Simpson arched her eyebrow.

He blushed, and looked away. "Let's...watch for ships."

"If that's what you want," she shrugged.

"Well, uh..." he remembered Nordat.

Nordat shook her head, then joined Lindsey in the bunk room.

"Well, isn't _that_ interesting," Simpson said.

"It would appear that we are alone. _Together_."

Simpson caught the underlying intention in his words, and she grinned at him. "What happened to watching for ships?"

Breckin leaned closer. "I think we've got some time before anything shows up, don't you?"

  


Nordat sat on the mattress across from Lindsey. He was lying on his back, tears leaving trails on his cheeks. She tried to think of something appropriate to say, as she moved over beside him.

"There isn't anything you can say, Clar. But thanks anyway."

"I'm sorry, Kane. I wish - "

"We all wish. It doesn't change anything."

A long silence followed Lindsey's words. Nordat put her hand on his, and he entwined their fingers.

  


"Hey, look!" Breckin pointed out the approaching ship. "We're saved!"

Simpson looked up at him. "There'll be another one." She pulled him back down to her.

"But...what...if...there...isn't?" he managed between her kisses.

"Oh, Lance, you're such a damn pessimist," she muttered, as he righted himself.

  


"Dad," Deanna spoke over the comm to her father's room. "I'm picking up an SOS on the Alliance frequency."

"I'll be right there."

"You can see the ship outside. They're dead in space. Should I call them back?"

"I'll do it, hang on. Slow us down, so they know we're going to stay awhile."

"'Kay. Bridge deck out."

Wesley stepped through the doors onto the bridge. "What's up, Bushroot? Any sign of the Ugly Jerk?"

"No. I think he's retired for the night."

"I wish he'd retire for good." Wesley sat down at the communications board. "Are you aware that we are receiving - "

"A distress call? Yeah, I know." Deanna pointed out the window at the small craft gradually drawing nearer. "It's from them. They ran out of fuel trying to escape some Imperials."

"Well how much does _that_ suck."

"Dad's on his way up here to call them back, as it were."

"What affiliation are our stranded guests?"

"Alliance."

"Oh, great. I thought we were staying neutral in this stupid war?" Wesley shook his head.

"We are," Giles replied.

"Helping the Alliance kinda puts us on their side, as far as that Emperor guy's concerned, Dad."

"Well, then I suppose having an Imperial smuggler aboard evens it out."

"Espen's Imperial?" Deanna's mouth hung open.

"From what I can tell, he may as well be."

"That makes so much more sense now," Wesley said.

"I'm going to call them now, so don't talk. I don't want to freak them out with the youth of my crew," Giles grinned at his children.

"Hey, we are a more capable crew than any of those dumb Alliance people," Deanna snapped.

Giles chuckled, "I know, but they don't need to. I like my crew just the way it is, and I don't want to lose you."

"Aw, thanks, Dad," Wesley grinned cheesily at him.

"Yeah, yeah. Shush." Giles tuned the radio to send a reply to the SOS call from the battered ship hanging in space to his right.

  


"Captain Lindsey, we're receiving a transmission from the ship right next to us," Breckin called over his shoulder.

Lindsey joined him and Simpson in the cockpit. "Let it through."

"No kidding," he muttered.

A man's voice took over from the silence in the ship, "Alliance ship, I am Captain Gerard Giles. My ship, _Watcher's Light_, is capable of carrying any members of your crew to Coruscant, or any nearby planet. I need to know how many you are, and if anyone is injured. Please respond using this channel."

"Like they were going to use another one," a younger male voice broke in sarcastically.

Giles sighed, "Don't mind my son. He's in another of his moods."

"Put me through, Brecklin," Lindsey stated.

"It's Breckin."

"Sorry, Breckin."

"Talk away."

"Captain Giles, this is Captain Kane Lindsey of the Alliance Interstellar starfighter, _Angel_. Your assistance is much appreciated, let me assure you," he chuckled.

"Nice to make your acquaintance, Sir."

"And yours. We are four, no injuries."

"Excellent. We will connect with your cargo bay to pull you to Coruscant."

"Actually, we were on our way to Aria. If it's not too much trouble - "

"Oh, no, of course not. I'm sorry, I forgot that that is not a place that would welcome Alliance affiliates."

"Exactly."

"Aria is not out of our way, not really. But we are on a bit of a schedule, so we'll have to hurry."

"No problem. Thank you, Captain Giles."

"Umm..." Breckin tapped on the console nervously. "I found a problem."

"Excuse me, Captain," Lindsey bent over to better see what he was indicating. "What, Brecktin?"

Breckin huffed, but held his tongue. "We didn't run out of fuel. The system's jammed."

"So...?"

"So, it just ignited. We have about three minutes before we are all engulfed in a great ball of fire."

"That's not good," Giles said. "We can bring you aboard. We'll _have_ to bring you aboard."

"That would be absolutely great, Sir," Breckin replied. "Two forty-five left."

The ship shifted slightly, as the other ship docked with theirs.

"Deanna, go meet our guests," Giles said, heard over the radio.

"Everyone to the cargo bay, _now_," Lindsey ordered.

"Already there," Breckin followed Simpson out of the cockpit, after cutting the communication with the other ship.

Lindsey poked his head into the crew quarters. "Come on, Clar. We have to get off the ship."

She sat up in bed, bewildered. "Already?"

"Yeah," he held out his hand to her. "Right now."

Nordat took his hand and followed him off the ship.

  


Deanna unlocked the cargo bay doors, then traversed the room to meet the newcomers. She was looking forward to meeting that Brecktin guy. _He has a sexy voice_.

The first to enter _Watcher's Light_ was a blonde haired woman. She looked around the bay, taking in the crates and boxes stacked all over the place.

Deanna stepped forward, and introduced herself.

"Corrina Simpson," the other replied, a slight edge to her voice. "What is your ship called?"

"_Watcher's Light_," Deanna answered amicably.

"Really," Simpson ran her fingers along the edge of the nearest crate.

The girl decided she did not like this woman. Something about her put Deanna's back up.

Right behind Simpson was a man, not much older than Deanna, she guessed, with blond tousled hair and blue eyes. She tried not to sound flustered as she offered her hand and introduced herself.

"I'm Deanna Giles. Welcome to the _Light_."

He shook her hand, "Lance Breckin. Looking forward to my stay."

"I can show you around the ship after." she offered.

"That would be good." he nodded.

"Okay."

"Okay."

Simpson latched onto Breckin's arm. "That would be _very_ kind of you."

Deanna looked away. "Right."

Lindsey and Nordat joined the others on the other ship. Deanna sealed the hatch, then called to the bridge that they could leave.

"Twenty-five, twenty-three..." Breckin counted down the remaining seconds.

"Come with me, I'll take you to the bridge, so you can meet the Captain." Deanna took the lead, scowling at Simpson as she passed her.

"I think someone's jealous," Simpson whispered to Breckin.

He blushed, but said nothing.

  


"And we are outta here! Thank you, thank you," Wesley was saying as the others entered. He turned to face them. "Please, don't get up."

Lindsey arched his eyebrow at the young man seated at the piloting controls. He noticed that they were already far enough away from their smaller ship not to be affected by the explosion.

"One," Breckin concluded the countdown right on time.

Wesley turned to watch the ball of fire erupt among the stars.

"Good work, Wes," Giles patted his son on the shoulder.

"I know," he grinned. "Told ya I was the better pilot."

"Wow, Scruffy, your head _actually_ fit through the door? I'm amazed," Deanna berated her brother.

"Don't start with me, Bushroot. _I_ just saved our lives. _You_ just navigated the corridors. Now, I ask you, _who_ has bragging rights?"

Giles laughed, "Oh, come off it, you two. I'm surprised your high horses don't buck to throw you off." He offered his hand to Lindsey. "The man behind the voice, hello."

The other Captain shook. "Thank you for your hospitality, Sir."

"Please, call me Gerard."

"Kane,"

"You've already met my daughter, Deanna. My son, Wesley," he gestured at his pilot. "And Espen is asleep."

"Where we hope he will stay for a _long_ time," Wesley put in.

Lindsey introduced his three crewmates, then left with Giles for a tour of the _Watcher's Light_.

"So, how did you guys come to be stranded like that?" Deanna asked.

"It's a long story," Simpson stated flatly, hoping to kill the subject. She examined one of the control stations beside Wesley.

"We were attacked by Imperial fighters. They destroyed our ship, killed our crew," Breckin explained. "We're all that's left."

"And Lou, wherever the hell she is," Simpson muttered.

"And Park, Jenkens, and Taggart," Nordat added.

"Right. Forgot about them," Breckin nodded.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Deanna apologized.

"Yeah, well, I guess it would have impacted me harder if I actually _knew_ anyone else," he shrugged. 

"Did you say Park?" Wesley asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"He helped me to my feet after an evil monster attacked me."

"Oh,"

"You're lucky he didn't run away." Simpson scoffed.

"Well, he wasn't much help, anyway."

"That's our Park alright." she muttered.

Wesley furrowed his eyebrows at her, but dropped the topic.

Breckin asked Deana, "What about you? I mean, big ship like this, and only the three of you runnin' it? Must be hard."

Deanna and Wesley exchanged uncertain glances.

"Captain Dad gave the others some time off," Wesley answered. "For personal time. We're picking them up in a couple of days."

"Oh," Breckin nodded.

"Yeah. So, do you want to see where you will be staying for the next day or two?" Deanna offered.

"Lead the way."

"With pleasure."

"You comin', Cor?" Breckin asked Simpson.

"Umm...sure," she followed the two out into the corridor.

  


Giles keyed in an access code, and the Hydroponics Garden doors slid open for he and Lindsey. "So, Kane, you said that your ship was called the _Angel_?"

"Yes," the other answered sadly.

Giles sensed Lindsey's distress. "You captained her for a long time, did you?" Lindsey nodded. "I recognized the name before, but it has only now come back to me where I heard it. I encountered three of your crew the other day on Léonna VI. The one - Park - quite possibly saved my son's life."

Lindsey raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Are you sure it was Park? I mean - that's not like him, sticking his neck out for other people. Not that he's a jerk, or anything, he's just... passive."

"I see. Well, that's how he introduced himself, Mortimer Park. Strange little fellow, anyway."

"Who else was with him?"

Giles thought back to that day on the planet surface. "Jenkens, and...I can't recall the other one."

"Taggart?"

"Maybe,"

Lindsey shook his head. "I'll kill them all if I ever see them again."

"They didn't tell you they left?"

"Well, Taggart told me they were leaving, and not to follow or try to stop them. He didn't say where they were going." There was a pause, and Giles waited for Lindsey to collect his thoughts. "Dammit, why didn't he tell me they were going to Léonna? I would have just taken everyone along."

"I see there are some unresolved issues between the two of you."

"His wife was murdered there, he must have gone to search for the spy." Lindsey shook his head. "I would have gone with them."

Giles patted Lindsey on the shoulder, as he ordered drinks for them from the synthesizer.

  



	10. Betrayed & Possibly Contagious

* * *

  


Darth Maul unlocked the hangar doors, revealing his ship, the _Sith Infiltrator II_.

"It's nice," Lou stood at his side, taking in the sight. "A little gloomy, but nice."

He turned his head to meet her gaze. "Thank you," he activated the controls that lowered the ramp with the Force, not taking his eyes from hers.

Vedul put his arms around Lou's and Maul's shoulders, leaning in between them. "Don't worry, you two crazy kids, I'll drive."

"S'Ritak, I _will_ leave you behind," Maul stated.

The Twi'Lek backed off. "Now now, let's not get grouchy, Master."

Maul grinned at his apprentice. "Who says I'm grouchy?"

Vedul headed up the ramp, and into the _Infiltrator_.

"He has your cockiness, Maul. You have taught him well," Lou arched her eyebrow at him.

"_That_ I did not teach him."

Lou laughed, following him into the ship.

  


A yellow light illuminated on Emperor Palpatine's desk, indicating that he had a call coming in. He knew before he even pressed the button that the man on the line was going to ask whether or not to let Darth Maul leave the surface.

"Don't let them leave," the old man ordered.

"But he has threatened my life."

"I will do more than threaten, Ogden. And your fate will be worse than death if that ship lifts off."

"As you wish it, Your Highness," Ogden cut the transmission.

The Emperor expected this sort of rash action from his former apprentice, which is why he had enlisted the aid of S'Ritak Vedul. Maul's own apprentice was loyal to the Emperor, more loyal than to his Master.

A thin smile curled Palpatine's lips, as his eyes fell on the Statue of Ongrel. A little-known fact about the grey pyramid was the power contained within, for inside the three walls was the heart of the first Sith warrior, perfectly preserved. Palpatine intended to have his own heart removed, and switched with this fabled one. It was said that this action would render the new user invincible, as well as increasing their power in the Force to threefold his original capabilities.

There was only one problem: the only beings capable of opening the Statue were the Kyterians, a race of blue-skinned aliens on the brink of extinction.

Jareena was the first Kyterian Palpatine had encountered in almost twenty years.

And she was about to get away. 

  


"What do we do, Master? They won't let us leave," Vedul crossed his arms across his chest.

Maul considered his options. He had hoped for an easy departure, but clearly Palpatine was aware of their actions and intended to intervene. "Let me talk to him."

Vedul shrugged, then opened a channel to Ogden in the office.

"Mister Maul, my orders come directly from Emperor Palpatine. I cannot allow your departure," Ogden stated the same line he had given Vedul.

Maul used a mind trick on the man, so that he would let them leave without a mess. "You _will_ open the doors, and clear us for departure."

There was a pause before Ogden came back, "You are cleared for departure, _Sith Infiltrator II_. Please wait while I open the hangar doors."

"Thank you, Ogden," Maul switched off the comm. "You see, S'Ritak? You could have done that."

Vedul scowled at the viewport, waiting for the doors to open.

  


Palpatine sensed it as the _Sith Infiltrator II_ left Coruscant, and took to Hyperspace. He let out an angry cry, slamming his fist down on his desk. He ordered his Imperial guards to bring Ogden to the palace.

  


* * *

  


The blue spherical shape of Coruscant hung in space ahead. Taggart patted Jenkens on the shoulder. "Good work."

"Hey, that was the easy part."

Park flopped down beside Taggart groggily. "Are we there yet?"

"See for yourself," Jenkens replied.

Park leaned forward to see out into space around the pilot's chair. "Wa-hoo!"

"I suppose you have a plan for finding Lou?"

"Umm...well, not exactly."

"What?" he barked. "We've come all this way, and you don't even know how to find her?"

Taggart searched the surface for any sign of her.

"You do realize that this planet is completely inhabited by Imperials, right?"

"Whoa, chill, dude. We'll figure something out," Park shrugged.

"We'll figure something out?! I don't believe this," Jenkens shook his head in frustration.

"She's not here, Park," Taggart spoke up.

"What do you mean she's not here?" both Park and Jenkens demanded at the same time.

"I mean she's gone."

"How do you know?" Jenkens asked.

"Because he just does," Park stated. "Where did she go?"

Taggart shrugged.

"Great, just great," Jenkens shook his head. "I can't believe I got myself into this."

A synthetic voice broke in over the radio, "Unidentified shuttle, state your business."

Jenkens raised his eyebrows at Park, expecting a response from him. "Uhh..."

"Tell him we are not staying," Taggart suggested. "And do it quickly."

"All this way for nothing," Jenkens grumbled, turning around in his chair. "Patrol, we are just verifying coordinates for our Hyperspace jump, and will be out of your hair in mere minutes."

"You are requested to accompany me to the surface."

"Uh, negative, there, Patrol. We have no business on Coruscant."

"You will accompany me to the surface, or be destroyed, Alliance shuttle."

"Brilliant idea this was, Park," Jenkens spat. "Alright Patrol, lead the way."

Taggart leaned back, closing his eyes. "This is not good."

"Can't you do something?" Park pleaded.

"We're in a tractor beam," Jenkens and Taggart replied in unison.

Park slumped in the chair. "I have a _bad_ feeling about this."

  


* * *

  


"So, Maul, where are we going?" Lou inquired, sitting in the co-pilot's seat.

"Where would you like to go?"

She shrugged. "I don't know the galaxy as well as you do, Maul. You're a better judge than me."

Silence followed. Lou watched the streaking stars pass.

Maul asked, "Why are you not sleeping?"

"I had a strange dream. Couldn't get back to sleep."

"Tell me about it."

Lou shook her head. "No, I want to sort it out for myself first."

"I could easily read it from your mind."

"I know. But you won't."

He met her eyes. "No, I won't."

"Thank you."

  


S'Ritak Vedul completed his transmission back to Raef Caylon. He sat back, a slight grin on his face at how easy it was to keep his Master in the dark. Palpatine had more power than the young Twi'Lek could ever imagine to control himself. _But how long before Maul begins to suspect something?_

Palpatine's overall plan ran deeper than Vedul knew, but that did not matter to the apprentice. He was proud to be in direct service to the Emperor.

The new information passed onto Vedul by Caylon was simply to take Jareena to Aria to rendezvous with another operative, a certain Trepur Espen and Corrina Simpson, both humans. Vedul intended to change their course after Maul had gone to sleep, which he hoped would be soon. The girl would not know the difference.

_S'Ritak_, Maul's voice interrupted his thoughts. _It is your turn to take control of my ship. Be careful with it._

_Of course, my Master_. Vedul rose from the chair, and pressed the door release. He walked the five feet to the cockpit, and switched seats with Maul.

"Jareena, are you going to come to bed?" Maul asked her. She laughed, and he rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean with me." Vedul laughed at this as well. "S'Ritak," Maul's tone was threatening.

"Sorry, Master."

Lou looked out the window at the stars, then back at Maul. "Yeah, alright, sleep sounds good."

The pair left the apprentice in charge of their voyage. He waited until he sensed that they were whispering, before he altered the course to take the _Sith Infiltrator II_ to the planet Aria.

  


Lou lay on the cot with her eyes closed. Maul was snoring softly in the cot beside hers. She felt the ship change direction, a sixth sense she had honed as a pilot. She decided not to worry about it, though. If Maul trusted his apprentice, then so would she.

She sighed and rolled onto her side, facing him. "My dream was about Morty. He was in trouble. Him, and Jenkens and Taggart. I don't know where they were, it was too dark to see anything. But Caylon was there. I could feel him. I could hear him laughing. Morty - " she choked on the words, stopped, then started again, "Morty was dying. He was in such pain. I felt that, too, Maul. It was so real, like it was happening _now_. How can that be?"

Maul propped himself on one elbow. "It was just a dream. It does not mean anything."

"Was it? Was it just a dream, Maul? I'm not so sure."

Maul pondered for a moment, an idea toying in his mind. _Perhaps she is a Force-user_. "Jareena, would you permit me to take a Medichlorian count?"

"A what?"

"Medichlorians are the symbiotic creatures that give me my special abilities."

"You think I might have these special abilities, too?"

"Well, you must train to perfect your skills; you don't wake up at your full potential one morning. It takes years, decades," he paused, watching her expression. "But I think you may have the capability to train. As I have."

"It always comes back to you, Maul," she smiled.

He narrowed his eyes at her, then got up off the cot. He opened an overhead compartment, and took out a medikit. He set it on the cot beside Lou, then flipped open the lid. Maul took out a blood testing device, and pressed it into Lou's palm. She flinched at the slight prick.

Maul put the drops of blood into the scanner. They waited for the results.

He noticed that she was worried, he could sense the knot in her stomach. She feared that, if she was like him, her vision would come true.

"How long will this take?" Lou asked him.

"A few minutes."

"Good."

"Do not worry, Jareena. If what you had was indeed a vision, we can prevent its occurrence."

"I hope so," she laid back down, waiting, and watching him.

Maul looked like he was meditating, sitting cross-legged on the floor, as the scanner did its work.

_Park and his companions are in more trouble than she realizes._

Lou sat up quickly. "Wh-what did you say?"

Maul's head snapped around, the sound of her voice pulling him out of his Force-induced trance. "I said nothing."

"Yes, you did! I _heard_ you! You said Morty was in trouble. What do you know, Maul?" she demanded, anger mixed with fear for her friend's well-being taking over her emotions.

"I did not say anything, Jareena," he remembered thinking that Park was on his way into grave danger. Emperor Palpatine had sensed him, Taggart and Jenkens as soon as their ship had entered Coruscant's orbit, and ordered them captured.

"We have to help them. Maul, we have to go back! He-he thought I was in trouble, and he came out to get me," she was pacing. "If anything happens to Morty, I - it would be my fault."

Maul took hold of her by her arms. "_Nothing_ is going to happen to them, I promise."

She could tell by his eyes that he meant it. Something had changed in him, she felt it now. Maul cared for her. He was not on a path to use her, then leave her, as she had thought back in his apartment.

Lou kissed him softly, sweetly. Maul seemed uncertain at first, but he soon felt her intentions through the Force. He moved his hands up her arms, along her shoulders and neck, then held her face. Slow and easy was a new experience for him; he had never cared about the females he was with before, or how they felt after making love.

"Maul, we shouldn't do this. If Palpatine found out - "

"Shh. I don't care," he shook his head. "Besides, chances are he already knows."

Lou smiled at him, and he kissed her again.

  


* * *

  


Park, Jenkens, and Taggart walked single file, hands bound behind their backs, flanked by Stormtroopers. They had been waiting on the surface when the shuttle and the patrol ship had landed. Taggart had instructed the other two not to speak to anyone they met on the planet until they knew what it was they were being held for. The obvious answer was, of course, simply that the three were Alliance members, but Taggart felt that there was something else in the air.

An Imperial officer - an admiral, Taggart guessed - approached them and their entourage. He indicated for Park and Jenkens to be taken to separate holding cells, then, as they were dragged away, the admiral turned to Taggart. "Emperor Palpatine would like to see you, Kenobi," he grinned, betraying how much he knew about the other and his fate.

Park heard the name dropped, and he tore away from the Stormtroopers. "Kenobi? _Obi-Wan_ Kenobi? The Jedi?"

The troopers got a hold of him again. He struggled against them, wanting his answer before he was locked up. One of the troopers smacked Park in the back of his head with the end of his blaster. He slumped to the deck.

"Your companions don't know who you are? How interesting," the admiral dismissed them. "Be careful, lads, this one's a special case. He'll knock you dead before you know what's happening."

  


Emperor Palpatine gazed out his office window, his eyes taking in the endless city before him. He was happy. An emotion he rarely allowed himself, but in this case it was different. He had Obi-Wan Kenobi in custody. The very man who had eluded the old Sith for three years.

The doors hissed open.

"Stay outside the door in case I have need of you," the Emperor told the crimson-clad guards. He had not even turned around yet.

The Imperials bowed in synchronization, then left their Master and his prisoner alone.

"It's been a long time, Senator," the captive was the first to speak. "You haven't aged well."

Palpatine turned to face Kenobi. "Yes, well, these times we live in are difficult ones."

"Only because you make them so."

"Only because _you_ make them so. I do not lead a rebellion, Obi-Wan. I lead the revolution, the new future is under my control."

"You're a tyrant, Palpatine. You always have been. Had I more training and trust in my instincts I would have killed you years ago. Before you were ever elected Supreme Chancellor."

"No use dwelling on the past, _is_ there?" the old man smiled his thin smile. "Although, I am curious to hear what _you_ have been up to these past years. You disappeared. Thrown out by the Jedi Council?"

"I quit. I wanted no part in the battles that tore the galaxy apart. I left."

Palpatine probed the man before him. "You had a wife?"

"Killed by one of _your_ spies."

"Recently."

"She will be avenged."

"That's not a very Jedi-like thing to say."

"I'm not a Jedi anymore."

"It must have been hard, turning your back on the Council when they needed you most? How cowardly of you."

Kenobi remained silent. He had harbored the guilt of his betrayal for years. Hearing it stated so bluntly added salt to the wound.

Palpatine pulled him out of his reflections. "Tell me about her, Obi-Wan. Talk to me as old acquaintances should. Was she worth it?"

"I will not speak of my wife with _you_, Palpatine."

"Well, then let's find something we can speak of."

  


Jenkens examined the lock on the door. It appeared to be a standard electronic key-code lock, eight digits creating the magic access number. However the keys were on the other side of the room, and neither he not Park could reach them.

Park, on the other hand, was seated cross-legged on the floor. He was sifting through everything he knew about Raine Taggart, trying to figure out how he could possibly be Obi-Wan Kenobi. It definitely explained the extra-sensory perception.

"Did you know that Taggart was a Jedi?" Park asked Jenkens' back.

"If you didn't know, how do you figure I would've?"

"Good point," he nodded. "I wonder if Captain Lindsey knew."

"Don't waste all your wondering on the first hour. Unless you can reach that control panel over there, _and_ you know the eight digit passcode to open the door, we're gonna be here for awhile."

"Sure, I'll just use my five foot long tongue to reach it..." he said sarcastically. "Ah, we'll just be here until they kill us, anyway."

"I think we're bait."

"Are you a Jedi, too, Jenkens? 'Cause if you are, I wanna know right now."

"No, Park, I'm not a Jedi. If I was, I could open this door without any effort."

"Think so? Maybe when they bring Taggart back - "

"They won't bring him back, Park. If _you_ figured out that he can get us out, I'm _positive_ they already know."

"What's _that_ s'posed to mean?" Jenkens ignored him. "Jenkens?" Still nothing. "Jenkens!"

He just shook his head in amusement.

  


* * *

  


"Welcome one and all to Aria," Captain Giles announced over the ship's comm. "We will be landing within the hour."

Deanna smiled at Breckin. "Dad always does that."

He shrugged. The two were sitting on the Observations Deck, watching the stars go by.

"He must have flown like a maniac to get you guys here in nine hours." Breckin nodded. "So, what's your relationship with Simpson like?"

"Uh, relationship? Well, it's...it's...just sex, really," he averted his eyes. "I think she's using me, but I haven't figured out what for, yet."

"Oh," Deanna tried not to look happy.

"Yeah, she doesn't really care about me, you know? The only time she pays any attention to me is when she's boinking me. The rest of the time I might as well not exist."

"That sucks," she moved closer to him.

"I would tell her off, but...well..."

"It's better than nothing?" she offered.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Yes, exactly. It's better than nothing. Exactly." He met her gaze, but was confused by the amused grin on her face. "What?"

"Oh, come on, Lance. We've spent eight and three quarters of the last nine hours talking. If you haven't figured it out yet..." she shook her head.

A smile made its way across his lips. "Why?"

"'Cause you're sexy, Babe. And you have a sexy voice. And you're interesting and funny. You know a lot of stuff. You listen to me. You're not a drone, like a lot of other people."

"Are you kidding? I'm a loser! My own _Captain_ never gets my name right! Come to think of it, neither does my girlfriend! Trust me, you can do better."

"Why don't you let _me_ be the judge of that, 'kay?"

He arched his eyebrow at her. "Okay, if you really - "

She kissed him before he could finish his sentence.

  


Wesley watched in horror as his twin sister smooched that Broccoli-guy they had picked up. He rarely spied on Deanna anymore, but sometimes he could not help it. He felt obligated to look out for her, and occasionally to step in when he thought she was making a bad judgment call.

This was _definitely_ a bad judgment call.

Wesley exited his quarters, stepping out into the dimly lit hallway. _That's odd_, he thought, turning left to go to the Observations Deck.

"Hey, Wesley!" Espen called down the hall to him.

"Oh, great," he muttered, turning around. "What do you want now?"

"To apologize, Boy," Espen jogged up to him. Wesley folded his arms across his chest skeptically. "Yeah, I'm sorry for beating you up and knocking you around and all that."

"Why?" he stayed guarded; Espen was hiding something behind his back.

"Because," Espen grabbed Wesley's arm, and drove a hypo into the exposed flesh. "This is worse."

"HEY!" he tried to pull away, but it was too late. Wesley could already feel whatever it was taking its course. He broke out in a sweat, feeling light-headed, dizzy. "What the hell did you..." his voice trailed off. He was having trouble staying upright.

"You'll see. Now let's go find your dad," Espen flung the young man over his shoulder, and carried him to the Bridge.

  


  



	11. Looking Death in the Face

_Hey guys! Sorry for the delay between chapters...This story is done now, tho, so it's just a matter of uploading the rest._

_Hope you enjoy!_

_~FP_

  


  


Giles turned around at the sound of the doors to the Bridge sliding open. His eyes went wide as Espen dropped his son carelessly on the floor.

Wesley rolled onto his stomach, then moved sluggishly to a nearby console. His head buzzed and spun, and his vision blurred, but he was determined to fight back.

"Espen, what have you done to him?!" Giles exclaimed.

Lindsey rose beside Giles, just as surprised as he was to see the young man in this condition.

"I have infected him with Kasparaitis, a disease you no longer have the cure for in supply, seeing as I emptied out the stores. Save one," Wesley tried pulling himself to his feet, but Espen grabbed his hair, pulled him away from the console, and shoved him to the floor. "And I will administer this _one_ only after you have agreed to my terms."

"Dammit, Espen - "

"Shut up and listen. Two hours can fly by really quickly, as you know, but seeing as we are already cleared to land time is shorter. Besides, another fifteen minutes and poor wesley here will be spitting up blood, and therefore beyond all help.

"All I want is your ship and all the cargo we picked up on Léonna VI. The Alliance traitors are to be locked up in the brig, and you, the lovely Deanna, and _possibly_ Wesley will be left on Aria, where you can fend for yourselves."

"We don't need the ship, Espen." Simpson told him. "We are being met on the surface."

"I see,"

The doors opened, and Deanna and Breckin entered. 

In one swift, fluid motion Simpson swung Breckin to the floor, holding him at gunpoint. "I'm breaking up with you." she stated.

"You bitch!" Deanna punched her in the face. As she stumbled aside, holding her nose, Deanna noticed her brother twitching on the floor. "What the hell did you do to Scruffy?!" she ran to his side.

"Don't touch him, I don't know how contagious he is." Espen cautioned, grinning.

She drew back slightly. "Contagious? Oh, Scruffy,"

"Well, what do you say, Giles?" Simpson asked the captain.

"I'm sorry, Kane, but he's the only son I have." Lindsey nodded in understanding, though he was not pleased with this turn of events. "I agree to your demands." Giles told Espen.

"Excellent," the other grinned wider.

"Demands? What demands? Dad, what is going on?" Deanna questioned. "What have they done to my brother?"

"Please, Deanna, I'll explain later." Giles turned to Espen. "Now, cure him."

"I will. As soon as you lock up your new buddies. Time's a-goin'."

Giles looked to Lindsey, and he nodded. "Brecktin, come with us, please." Lindsey requested.

Breckin's eyes locked with Deanna's as he got up from the deck. The three left the bridge to find Nordat on their way to the brig.

Wesley's eyes rolled back in his head. He had no idea what was going on around him. The only thing he was aware of was the burning in his chest and his inability to move voluntarily. He felt something else, this time in his stomach, but it was not internal. He guessed someone had kicked him. "Espen, you bastard."

"You'd better watch it, Boy. I'm the only one who can fix you." Espen's voice sounded lightyears away.

There was a slight prick in Wesley's arm, and freezing moved up to his neck. He clenched his teeth. _If this is the cure, I think I liked the disease better._

Espen watched curiously as the vaccine ran its course. Wesley's body was rigid, as if every muscle in his body was contracting at once.

"If this doesn't work, I'll - "

"You'll what, Girlie?"

"I'll think of something." Deanna folded her arms across her chest.

"You do that," Simpson muttered, hopping into the pilot's seat. "I'm taking us down." she announced.

  


S'Ritak Vedul watched the sky from the inside of the room he had reserved for their arrival on Aria. Darth Maul was pacing, reflected in the glass, while Lou inspected their surroundings. She still did not trust the Twi'Lek.

"Why are we here, S'Ritak?" Maul asked again. They had been on the surface for three hours, and Maul was itching to leave. Aria was not far enough away from Coruscant - or Palpatine - for him to be comfortable.

"You will see, Master."

"Why do you cloud your thoughts from me?"

"I have nothing of interest in my head, Master." Vedul flashed a look in Lou's direction. "She has brought out in you a distrust for me?"

"You have earned my distrust yourself, Apprentice. That was one of my favorite vases."

"I'll fix it when we return home, if it will gain your trust back."

"You'll fix it anyway." Maul narrowed his eyes at the Twi'Lek.

Vedul smiled, "Of course,"

Maul growled, then went over to where Lou was examining the door lock. He rested his hands on her shoulders, mentally making her aware of his presence beforehand so she would not startle. "Everything in working order, then?"

"I think so," Lou sighed, replacing the panel. She straightened, then turned.

Maul put his hand on her cheek. "I won't let anything happen to you."

She closed her eyes. The warmth on her cheek became a burning. her head spun.

Maul sensed that something was wrong immediately. "Jareena, what is it?" he tried to bring her back to reality.

Lou opened her eyes, and looked up at the high ceiling. She was no longer in the hotel room. She was back on Coruscant, in the Imperial Palace.

She heard laughter, and turned toward its source. Emperor Palpatine was carrying the Statue of Ongrel on a small platform to her. Lou's hand glowed red, and she held it up to the Statue. It in turn glowed red, until the three sides opened downwards.

Palpatine's laugh grew, echoing off the walls.

The doors swung open, and Darth Maul entered running, lightsabre ablaze. "Jareena, come away from there!" he ordered.

"It's too late, Maul," Palpatine stated, setting the platform and Statue on the table in the center of the room. He then turned on his former apprentice, eyes full of contentment. "You, Sir, have caused me more trouble in the past few days then the effort worth putting forth to kill you."

Maul's lightsabre was thrown from his hand, as blue Force lightning racked his body relentlessly.

"NO!" Lou screamed, falling into Maul's arms, the vision having passed.

"Shh," he tried to sound soothing. "That won't happen."

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "You saw it, too?" he nodded, running his fingers through her dark green hair. "Every other vision I have ever seen has come true, no matter what I've tried to do to stop it. Morty's going to die." she met his yellow eyes. "And so will you." she pulled away from him. "I don't want to lose you again, Maul. I _can't_,"

Maul held her close. "How long have you been having them?"

"Four years, Maul. They started shortly after I left Coruscant."

He thought about this, before replying, "They must be linked with the Statue of Ongrel. That is the only explanation."

"They are. I know they are. I feel that heart beating when I'm alone and everything else has stopped." she shook her head, pulling back. "It won't stop."

"Heart beating? What heart beating?"

"The Heart inside the Statue. The thing Palpatine's after. It will give him all the power once held by the first Sith warrior."

"How do you know all this?" Vedul broke into their conversation.

"I - I - " she could not find an answer that would satisfy any of them. "I just do."

  


The _Watcher's Light_ set down on the platform, making a perfect landing.

Espen clamped his hand on Giles' shoulder. "Good work," he turned to leave. As he passed Deanna and Wesley he asked, "How ya doin', Sport?"

Wesley raised his head weakly. "F - "

Deanna covered her brother's mouth with her hand. "Fine," she said in place of what he would have.

Espen ruffled the boy's hair, then left the Bridge. Simpson rose from her spot beside the twins, as Giles turned his chair around. She whipped out her blaster, and shot the captain in the head. Deanna screamed, and Wesley stared in disbelief, unable to muster the energy to do anything else.

Espen turned back, recognizing the sound of blaster fire, and then hearing the scream. "Come on, Simpson. We don't have all day. We are on a schedule here."

"Two more," she replied wickedly.

"Make it quick,"

Wesley moved in front of his sister protectively, trying to find the strength to fight back. Deanna sobbed into his back.

"A lot of good you'll do her, dying first and all." Simpson smiled cruelly, taking aim at his forehead.

"Don't," Deanna pleaded. "Please don't."

  



	12. Breckin's Mighty Realization

Breckin got up off the floor of the brig. "That _bitch!_" he yelled suddenly. "How could she do this to me? I don't believe it!" he wandered to the door, and put his hands on the bars. "Why would she betray the Alliance like - " his voice was growlly, and he shook the door. It clicked open. "That?"

"He told me there were blasters hidden in the wall." Lindsey pushed past Breckin, who was staring in awe at his all-powerful hands.

Nordat followed Lindsey out of the cell. "Do you think Espen gave the son the antidote?"

"I hope so," Lindsey opened the compartment, and handed her a weapon. He carried one over to Breckin. "Giles left it unlocked, Breckman. Now, let's go see if we can help."

They raced to the Bridge.

  


"Do it, get it over with." Wesley said to Simpson.

"No, Scruffy - "

"Stop it, Bushroot, there's no way out here."

"I'm glad you see that," Simpson was waiting for the charge to reach full power.

"We _helped_ you. You can't just kill us!" Deanna tried to reason with the other.

"Yes, you did. In fact, you very well may have saved my life. But I certainly can just kill you."

Espen checked the time. "I'll meet you outside, Woman. We don't have time to play around, so you'd better be right behind me." he left then, and went to the cargo bay to claim the prize he had taken from Léonna VI.

"Say goodbye to your dear brother, Deanna."

She held him tighter. "No," she sobbed.

  


From down the hall, Breckin could see into the Bridge. Simpson was holding a gun to Deanna's brother's head. Without thinking twice, Breckin raised his blaster, took careful aim, then shot Simpson neatly in the neck.

She dropped instantly.

The three ran to the twins. Breckin knelt beside Deanna, folding her into his arms. Wesley laid down on the deck in relief. Lindsey and Nordat checked Giles, but he was dead.

"Where did Espen go?" Lindsey asked the twins.

"Who gives a flying - "

"Well, Scruffy, if nothing else, Kasparaitis gave you a dirtier mouth." Deanna patted him on the shoulder.

"I still feel like sh - crap." he mumbled into the floor.

Deanna gave Wesley a short hug, then told Lindsey, "I think he went to the cargo bay. he moved some merchandise down there while Dad locked you guys up."

"What kind of merchandise?"

"Weapons," Wesley speculated. "Some kind of weapons. That's my guess."

"Your guess?" Nordat was skeptical, but Lindsey was already heading away. "Kane!" she called after him.

"Leave him be," Deanna began.

"Or he'll kill you, too." Wesley finished, sitting up slowly.

Lindsey sighed, "Are you suggesting we let him go?"

"No," he shook his head. "I'm saying we get him later. Can't you see there's something bigger going on here? We should follow him, then sabotage his little operation."

"Or we can let him go, and forget about him." Deanna suggested instead. "I don't want to have anything more to do with that man so long as I live."

"Fine," Wesley stood even more slowly than he had sat up. "You can stay here, and," he looked over at Lindsey, "I'll go with you."

"Are you sure - "

"Yes, I'm sure. That bastard _tried_ to kill my sister, _tried _to kill me on several occasions, and - " he glanced at his slain father. "And he's an asshole."

"I see," Lindsey nodded. "So, how do you propose we follow him?"

Wesley grinned, then went over to a console. "I put a tracer on his crate."

Nordat and Lindsey joined Wesley intently.

Breckin ran his fingers through Deanna's hair. "I'll go wherever you go." he told her.

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Lance. I appreciate that."

He returned the smile. "You make me feel so needed." he kissed her sweetly.

  


***

  


Espen stepped into the elevator. The crate, his prized possession, floated on a hoverlift beside him. He pressed the button for the eighth floor, where the meeting was to take place between he and S'Ritak Vedul.

Espen had never met the Twi'Lek who would be a Sith, and frankly he thought it was a joke. Twi'Leks were natural schemers, double-crossers. They never committed to one thing - or anything, for that matter - why was this one endeavoring to be a Sith?

The doors opened, and Espen stepped out into the spacious room. It was furnished only with twelve armchairs and two tables, one of which was in the center of the circle of chairs. The other was against the wall to his left, laden with food. He helped himself to a banana, the floating crate following him on his trek across the room, as he awaited Vedul's arrival.

  


"Master, there is someone you must meet." Maul's Twi'Lek apprentice stated. It was time for his meeting with Trepur Espen and Corrina Simpson on the eighth floor of the hotel. Final preparations for Emperor Palpatine were to be made.

"Who?" Maul demanded. "And why here?"

"Their names are Espen and Simpson," Vedul reached out with the Force, and discovered that the man had indeed arrived, but that Simpson had been killed. "Just Espen, apparently. You'll get along. Come," Vedul keyed open the door.

"Jareena, you stay here, and lock this door after we've gone. Don't let anyone in." Maul told Lou.

"I think it would be better if she came along. Just in case something happens in our absence." Vedul stated.

Maul narrowed his eyes at his apprentice suspiciously, trying to read his thoughts again. He could not. "What do you think?" he asked her instead.

She glanced around the room. "I'd rather go with you." she decided, getting up off the chair she had been curled up on.

The three made their way tot he elevator down the hall. Vedul pressed the eighth floor button, and down they went. The doors opened on a spacious meeting room.

Vedul and Maul both sensed Espen standing to the side, hidden behind the small indentation the elevator produced in the wall, a gun ready to shoot the first thing to move into view. The Twi'Lek told his Master telepathically not to attack.

Maul stepped in front of Lou protectively, as Vedul called to the stranger, "Espen, it is I, S'Ritak Vedul, come to meet with you. I have brought with me my Master and teacher, Darth Maul, as well as," he paused, seeking an appropriate word, "An acquaintance."

"Come off the lift real slow," Espen responded coldly.

Maul's hand rested on his lightsabre, as he followed his apprentice off the elevator. Lou stayed close behind him.

"You don't have to be suspicious, I am who I claim to be."

"You're a Jedi - "

"Sith,"

"Force-user, whatever. You're all the same. I don't trust you. I don't trust _any_ of you. Never have,"

"Oh, boo hoo," Maul growled.

"Is this her?" Espen circled Lou and Maul.

"Indeed,"

"She's a strange one. Never seen her kind before."

"She's rare, yes,"

"What importance is that?" Maul hissed at Espen. the human was getting too close.

"None, it's just interesting." Espen reached his hand into his pocket, took out a fistful of its contents, then blew the magenta powder at Maul and Lou.

"Hold your breath!" Maul realized too late what was going on.

"It won't make any difference, I'm afraid, Master. The powder is instantly absorbed by the skin, and it shall take effect shortly."

"What have you done, S'Ritak?" Maul illuminated his lightsabre, and lunged at the Twi'Lek.

Espen fired one shot at Maul's back. He dropped to the floor, his lightsabre skittering across the room.

"Another effect is the loss of your Force abilities." Vedul smiled slyly at his fallen Master.

Lou dropped to her knees, feeling dizzy. "I told him not to trust you. I told him..." her voice trailed off. She focused her eyes on Espen. "What have you done to me?"

Espen knelt on one knee. "I have made you complacent for the trip home."

"And where is home?" she watched as Vedul picked up Maul's lightsabre.

"Coruscant, my Dear, Coruscant."

The Twi'Lek activated the Sith's weapon. 

"Oh, no,"

"Oh, yes," Espen grinned.

"Leave him alone, S'Ritak. He trusted you against his better judgment, you owe it to him to let him live." she said.

"I owe him for all he has taught me. Trusting me was his mistake." Vedul responded, standing over Maul. "A mistake he shall now pay for." he swung the glowing blade down towards the Sith's neck.

"NO!" Lou screamed.

The weapon deactivated moments before it made contact. "Let's go," Vedul said, tossing the lightsabre aside.

Espen pulled Lou to her feet, then activated the hoverlift. The crate obediently followed the three out of the room.

  



	13. Never Get Too Close to an Unconscious Si...

Wesley emerged from his hiding place after the elevator had gone down to the next floor. He approached the unmoving form with caution, as he removed the commlink from his pocket.

"_Light, _are you hearing me okay?"

"Loud and clear, Wes. What can ya tell us?" Lindsey's voice came back.

"They're going to Coruscant," he replied, looking out the window. "And they took some chick with them. She was blue, does that ring any bells with you?"

"That's Lou," Nordat spoke up. "What is she doing here?"

"Was," Wesley corrected. "Pat tense. What _was_ she doing here. I don't know. The other one was a Twi'Lek. Your girl called him S'Ritak. Do you know him, too?"

"No,"

"Oh, well. What should I - "

Wesley's sentence was cut off as an invisible hand tightened on his throat. He dropped the commlink as he was spun around violently to face the presumed unconscious creature that had lain on the floor.

"Where is she?" Maul demanded, drawing the young man closer to him.

"W-w-" Wesley stuttered, unable to form words without inhaling.

The other's fierce yellow eyes bore into Wesley's very soul, seeking answers. He released the human seconds before he would have lost consciousness.

"You will take me with you." Maul ordered.

Wesley looked up in confusion at the demon hovering over him. "Take you where?"

"To Coruscant. Now."

"But we're - "

Maul waved his hand at he young man. "You are now. Let's go, time is being wasted here."

Wesley pushed himself to his feet. He scanned the floor for his lost commlink. The device subsequently floated towards him, so he plucked it from the air, and switched it on. "Lindsey, I'm bringing a new friend." he stated, as Darth Maul reclaimed his lightsabre. "He's kinda scary, though."

  


* * *

  


The doors to the ship's Bridge slid open, and Captain Kane Lindsey found himself glared at by two merciless yellow eyes. "Who - "

"Darth Maul,"

"I'm - "

"I know who you are, Captain. I know you all. We don't have time to waste on formalities and why are you heres or what do you wants. I'll explain along the way, if I must. For now, let's suffice it to say that the fate of the universe now rests in our hands. Please don't all panic at once."

Wesley wondered, "Don't you have your own ship?"

"My ship was taken, Boy. Why are we still on the ground?"

"I'm working on it." Nordat muttered. "Wes, where's your sister?"

"I think she and Sir Lancelot are talking about whether or not to stay." Lindsey replied for him.

Maul pulled Nordat out of the pilot's seat, then took it himself. He cleared them for take-off, and then they were on their way.

A very angry Deanna stormed into their midst. "What the _hell_ is going on?"

"We're going to Coruscant." Nordat huffed, crossing her arms across her chest.

"To save the Universe." Wesley added. "Aren't you excited, Bushroot?"

"Save it from who?" Deanna demanded.

"Uh..."

"Emperor - "

"No!" Breckin burst in. "Don't say - "

"Palpatine," Maul finished.

"Damn you,"

Maul turned around in the chair, a grin spread across his tattooed visage. Breckin jumped back a foot at the sight of the Sith pilot.

"Whoa!" Deanna exclaimed. "What are you?"

"An ally. For now." he turned back to the stars, then sent the _Watcher's Light_ into Hyperspace.

  


Jenkens writhed on the floor in agony. His chest burned, but the blue lightning would not stop.

Park knew that if he did not help his friend, he would surely die. He dragged himself on all fours over to one of the Imperial Guards. 

He tried to wrench the staff from his hands, but the guard did not budge. "Dammit, let go!" Park yelled at the crimson-clad man.

Emperor Palpatine spun around at the outburst. He zapped Park with Force lightning, temporarily ceasing the barrage on Jenkens. Park stumbled over on top of the guard, knocking them both to the floor. In the process of falling, the staff switched hands. 

Park rolled to his feet, weapon in hand, breathing heavily. "Is there a point to all this, or are you just getting your jollies out?" he demanded.

"My what?" Palpatine was not amused. "I'm _frustrated._"

"Well, there's a better way to get your frustrations out, too. Come on, you're an Emperor guy. you're s'posed to think logically and all that."

"Are you saying that I'm not logical?" Palpatine's eyes flashed dangerously.

"I'm saying that you need to chill." he straightened, and leaned on the staff. "Talk to me, tell me what's _frustrating _you."

Palpatine narrowed his eyes at him.

Jenkens coughed, and rolled onto his stomach. He met Park's gaze, and furrowed his brow at him.

Park looked back at the Emperor. "My plan is slowly coming to a head."

"Isn't that a good thing? For you, I mean."

"It's the slowly part that vexes me."

"Oh, I see," Park nodded in understanding. "Patience is a virtue. I heard that somewhere. I think you can apply it here."

"I have been patient for years."

"A little longer won't hurt anyone."

Palpatine rolled his eyes. "Lock them up." he ordered, then left.

  


Raine Taggart, also known as Obi-Wan Kenobi, lay in silence in the dark. He was in a small enclosure that had no windows or visible doors. Not a single shred of light could worm it's way inside. There was not even enough room for him to sit up or stretch his legs.

Kenobi's Force senses were completely shut off to him, the reason being the ysalamiri whom he could hear climbing on his prison's outer sides. He exhaled slowly, wondering how long he would be trapped in this box.

A door opened and closed, and Kenobi temporarily forgot where he was. He sat up, and hit his head on the top of the enclosure. "Ow!" he exclaimed in surprise.

The person who had entered knocked on the box. "Feeling confined?" it was Palpatine's voice.

"What is this thing?"

"You shall see," the tone made the hairs on the back of Kenobi's neck stand on end.

A shock ran up Kenobi's arm. He pulled his hand away from the wall in surprise. Another shock touched his knee, and he backed up against the corner.

"Palpatine, what - "

An all-out volt zapped Kenobi, knocking him face-down on the floor of the enclosure. He let out a cry of agony as electricity flowed through his body, white-hot pain the only feeling and thought he was aware of.

And Palpatine's laughter echoed throughout the room.

  


* * *

  


"Another hour, and there we will be." Darth Maul said, joining Lindsey on the observation deck. The other did not reply, gazing out at the stars. "Are you alright?"

Lindsey's thoughts were on his lost crew and ship. He kept running alternate scenarios through his mind. _There must have been another way. Something I could have done to save them._

"I am sorry. When Jareena hears of this, she will be sorry as well."

"Jareena?"

"You know her as Mira Lou." Maul replied, a slight smile on his face at the thought of her.

"You've seen her?"

"Yes," he nodded. "I was present at her kidnapping, remember?"

"Oh, right,"

"I lost her. We must get to her before Palpatine does."

"Why?"

"It is a long story that not even I know all of. She has power, great power, from what I have experienced with her. Palpatine intends to use this power."

"What can we do? How can we stop the Emperor?"

"_We _will find a way. I have a plan."

"And what is it?" Lindsey asked skeptically, raising one eyebrow.

"It is simple, really. You and your crew will distract the guards and i will rescue Jareena."

"We can't possibly pull that off, just the three of us. We'll be killed."

"There is five of you."

"I won't talk for Deanna and Wesley. They are _not_ part of my crew, and I will not force them to participate in this."

"Wesley is itching for revenge. When he meets Espen, one of them will die." Maul stated.

"How do you know about - "

"You ask too many questions, Captain. You would not understand the answers."

Lindsey huffed, but did not try to argue. Maul made him uneasy, and he feared making the Sith angry. "Wesley needs to be there for his sister, now. If anything, I'd make him stay behind."

"You cannot choose for him, you have already said that."

"I know," the other sighed. "I know that all too well." he turned away from the window. "Tell me something about you, Maul. Something not too depressing."

"Something about me that's not depressing." Maul repeated thoughtfully. "I don't think there is such a thing." he decided.

"That's not a good way to make a living, with all your memories being bad ones."

"Well, I wouldn't call them _bad_, not by my standards, anyway. I suppose by yours, they would be, though."

"Where are you from?"

"I call Coruscant home," Lindsey raised his eyebrows at this in surprise, which made Maul half-smile. "But at this point in time I am reconsidering my priorities."

"Your allegiance is with Palpatine and his...Empire?"

"Not anymore,"

"What changed?" Lindsey inquired curiously.

Maul smiled slyly. "I met this amazing woman."

Lindsey chuckled. "Isn't she, though?"

"You were in love with her as well." it was a statement, not a question.

"Lindsey shook his head. "I thought I was, but she made it pretty clear that she wasn't interested."

Maul read the other's thoughts. "I see," he watched for the reaction ; an arched eyebrow. "Clarissa feels the same way about you, Captain."

Lindsey laughed, "I think so,"

"Oh, I _know _so,"

The captain furrowed his eyebrows at the grinning Sith.

  


Wesley sat facing his sister in her quarters. She was pacing, venting her frustration at having been dragged along to Coruscant. She was not buying the 'save the universe' pitch everyone was trying to sell her, but he had stopped listening to her mutterings. He was thinking about all the things he was going to do to Espen once he had caught up to him.

Deanna clapped her hands loudly in front of her twin's face, snapping him back to the present. "Scruffy!"

He jumped in surprise, then glowered at her. "What?"

"What?" Deanna's eyes welled with tears. "I just watched my father get murdered, that's what!" she wailed. Wesley reached out to take her hand, but she backed away. "Don't, Wes. You can't make it better."

He lowered his eyes sadly. "He was my father, too." was the quiet reply.

"Then act like you care!"

Anger clouded Wesley's face. "Act like I care? You don't think I care? How can you say that!?" he rose, exasperated. "You know, the _only_ thing I can think about is getting Espen. It's because of him that we ended up in this whole damn situation! He's gotta pay, Dee. And I'm going to make damn sure he does."

She stared at her brother, shocked by the conviction in his voice, and the blind hatred in his eyes when he met her gaze. She shook her head slowly, working her jaw to find the words. She had not meant to push him this far. "I don't want to lose you, too, Wes."

His fury was replaced almost immediately with empathy. "You won't,"

"Can you promise me?" He rolled his eyes at her. "Promise me, Scruffy." her voice was firm, even though a tear rolled down her cheek. "Please? I don't want to be the only one left."

Wesley folded his sister into his arms. "I promise,"

  



	14. He Just might Suck You into his Mission

Lou glared daggers at S'Ritak Vedul. He sat cross-legged across the cargo bay that was serving as her prison. He was meditating, not paying her any heed.

Not that he needed to.

She was bound and gagged. Her hands were restrained behind her back and chained to the wall. Her feet were chained to her hands. Needless to say, she was not going anywhere any time soon.

The Twi'Lek's co-conspirator, Trepur Espen, entered via the sliding double doors. His eyes swept the virtually empty room; only Lou, Vedul, a cabinet on the wall, and Espen's prized crate were present. Espen's gaze fell on the blue alien, and he grinned.

He strode over to her, saying, "Quite the predicament you now find yourself in." he knelt next to her. "You really are lovely, my Dear." he combed his fingers through her dark green hair.

The hum of a lightsabre echoed in his ear. He turned his head slowly and carefully to meet Vedul's glare. "Don't touch her, Espen. The Emperor wants her unharmed."

"I wasn't - "

"I _know_ what you were going to do. Get back to the cockpit. We are almost there."

Espen grumbled to himself as he left he cargo bay.

Vedul replaced the weapon on his belt, watching the other trudge off, clearly displeased. The Twi'Lek turned his lopsided grin on Lou. "Comfortable?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "No, I didn't think so. But don't worry, we will be landing shortly."

Lou focused her thoughts in the Sith apprentice's direction. _When Maul catches up - _

_He'll be too late. _the other finished.

She looked away, remembering what she had seen transpire in her...vision?

_Maul..._

Vedul sensed the brief contact through the Force. He backhanded Lou, coaxing her out of the trance-like state, and breaking her concentration. She gaped up at the Twi'Lek, uncertain of what she had just done.

"We'll have none of that." he growled. He narrowed his eyes at her, then turned to the cabinet hanging on the wall. It opened for him, and a small needle floated toward Lou. She shook her head, trying to back away from the threat, but she had only a wall to protect her. The needle pierced her skin, and the contents were emptied into her bloodstream.

Not long after, her head thumped to the floor.

  


_Maul..._

__The Sith's head jerked up at the voice in his head. "Jareena,"

Wesley arched his eyebrow. "You talkin' to me?"

"No,"

"Oh," he returned his attention to the planet looming before them. "She must mean a lot to you if you've got us all going to rescue her."

"The fate of the universe rests in her hands. She should mean a lot to you, too."

"Well, that whole concept is kinda hard to grasp, y'know?"

Maul regarded the youth before replying, "I suppose,"

"You sound as if you've been through this sort of thing before, though." Wesley chuckled at the absurdity of that statement.

"I have," the Sith walked away from the now befuddled young man.

"You - " he chased after Maul. "You what?"

"I have done things that people like you can't even imagine, Boy."

"People like me? What's _that_ s'posed to mean?"

Lindsey's voice cut in on the intercomm. "Where should I set down?"

"I'll pilot from here." Maul announced. "I'm on my way to the Bridge now."

"Define people like me." Wesley stated, still keeping pace with the other.

"Well, I don't know any nice way to tell you this, so I'll tell you frankly. You, Wesley, are an average space pirate. I, on the other hand, am a Sith warrior formerly employed by Emperor Palpatine himself."

"And you're proud of this? Okay, so what changed?"

"My perception," Maul strode onto the Bridge. He swapped places with Lindsey, taking the pilot's chair.

"I'm having serious doubts about this whole thing." Nordat whispered to Lindsey. "We don't even know this guy, but we're taking him for his word?"

"Uh - "

"I've been reading up on his background, Kane. He's listed as deceased."

"Well, clearly he is not deceased, Clar."

"Don't you think you should - "

"It's a little late to be second-guessing my motives," Darth Maul spoke up. "Seeing as we have already arrived."

"Explain to me why every record lists you as dead, then. At least give us that much."

Maul did not take his eyes from the viewscreen, but he answered Nordat's question, "The one who was killed was a clone. An experiment that failed, much to Palpatine's dismay."

"A clone? Why would you send a clone?" Lindsey inquired.

"Because - "

"You saw your own death." Wesley finished for Maul.

"Yes," he cast a look over his shoulder at the young man. He then turned back to landing the spacecraft.

  


Deanna and Breckin sat in silence in Breckin's assigned room. They had not said a word in the fifteen minutes they had been together. They just sat on the bed, Deanna's head on Breckin's chest, holding hands.

He sighed, wondering what her silence meant. She smiled, sensing his distress, but still remained quiet.

Breckin gave up. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm afraid," she replied quietly.

"Of what?"

Deanna straightened, and met his gaze. "I'm afraid of losing you."

He shook his head, "You won't,"

"And I'm afraid of losing Scruffy." she leaned on him again, feeling comfort from his closeness. "He promised me he'd come back, but a promise is only words. He can't see the future. I don't want anything to happen to him. Or to you,"

Breckin put his arm around her shoulders, then kissed her forehead softly. She met his lips with hers, and his hand brushed down her back.

Deanna pulled away suddenly. "Oh, no,"

"What?" he asked quickly.

"Can't you feel it?" she got up, wide-eyed. "We're landing!"

Breckin followed her as she hurried to the Bridge.

  


Lou watched the ground beneath her. There was not much else she could do from her position. Slung over Vedul's shoulder as she was.

The three of them were already inside the Imperial Palace, and on their way to meet Emperor Palpatine. The Emperor knew that Maul was not far behind, but it would only take a few minutes to complete the ritual in which his heart would be replaced with that of Ongrel, the first Sith warrior.

Assuming that the Kyterian co-operated.

But he had everything ready to ensure that she did.

Two doors that extended all the way up to the ceiling opened at the Twi'Lek's will, and they entered the room where Palpatine sat patiently awaiting their arrival.

"Welcome back, Jareena," the old man smiled cruelly. "It's nice to see you again." he traced her jawline with his weathered, bony finger. She tried to pull away from his ice touch. "S'Ritak, please sit her down over there." the Emperor indicated a throne beside an ornate table, which Lou recognized from her vision.

A man wearing black robes lined with silver entered, carrying the Statue of Ongrel on a jewel-encrusted gold tray. He stopped a few feet away from the two aliens, as Vedul removed Lou's gag. Palpatine watched anxiously.

"You can't go through with this, Palpatine." were the first words out of her mouth.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous. This is the _least_ complicated plan I've ever come up with, once you break it down : Get Statue, capture you, bring you back to Coruscant, have you open the pyramid, and then have the heart surgically switched with mine. I wish I'd realised what you were four years ago."

"I wouldn't have helped you then, just as I won't help you now."

"Oh, I think you will." the Emperor stated, narrowing his eyes.

Lou heard a door slide open behind her, and she turned on the throne to see who had entered. Vedul snickered, keeping a tight hand on her shoulder. "Morty!"

Raef Caylon elbowed Park in the back of the head, knocking him to the floor. The Imperial Guard released Jenkens, then stood at attention, awaiting his next order.

Mortimer Park raised his head, squinting through puffy eyelids. "Mi?" he croaked in disbelief.

"Yeah, Morty, it's me."

"What - what are you doing here? You can't be here, Mi. Palpatine's crazy. He wants you to - "

Caylon kicked Park in the gut to shut him up. "That's enough outta you."

Lou turned to the Emperor. "Let them go,"

Palpatine gestured to the Statue of Ongrel. "Open it,"

"No, you can't!" Park exclaimed, trying to get up.

Caylon grabbed him by his hair and pulled him to his feet. He then swung him toward a nearby pillar. However, before any contact was made, Lou managed to muster an energy ball that flattened Caylon against the far wall. he slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Lou stared in shock at her glowing red hands. "Oh, crap,"

Palpatine smiled wickedly.

  


Darth Maul peered up at the Imperial Palace through binoculars. He, Wesley, Breckin, Nordat, and Lindsey crouched in the bushes so as not to be seen by the patrols. Deanna had stayed behind to have the _Watcher's Light_ - which was parked a few kilometers away - ready to make a quick escape once they had returned.

Maul made a mental note of the eight guards standing just inside the main doors, as he turned to address the others. "From what I can tell, your friend Taggart is being held in the dungeon. To get to him, you will have to go left from the main foyer to the elevators. The dungeon is sublevel six, and his cell is the third one on the left once you get off. Got that?"

Lindsey nodded, unquestioningly. He had given up trying to figure out how this creature knew so much.

"How can you be so sure?" Nordat demanded.

"Because this Palace has been my home for most of my life." Maul retorted, his patience short so near a battle.

And there would be a battle.

"Great," Wesley leaned closer. "So, how do we get in?"

"Leave that to me. Once I kill the guards, you three will go free your friend."

"But what about - "

"The others - Park, Jenkens, and Jar - Lou - are together," Maul pointed to a fourth floor stained glass window, "Up there. I'll handle that, you needn't worry."

"You can't rescue them alone." Wesley argued.

"I surely can. I have a score to settle."

"You have an ego to settle." the young man muttered under his breath.

"I heard that,"

"A score to settle with Palpatine?" Lindsey asked.

"Yes," Maul turned away from Wesley. "And my apprentice." the Sith narrowed his eyes with contempt.

"Should we find you after we get Taggart?"

"No. I will be fine. Just return to your ship, and the rest of us shall follow not far behind."

Wesley raised his hand. "Okay, I have a question : What if something happens to you, Mr. Overconfident?"

Maul allowed a mirthless smile. "Then you're all dead."

The young man rolled his eyes, throwing his hands in the air, as Nordat said, "That's reassuring."

  


Lou willed the red glow away, and it gradually faded out.

"You see your power now," Palpatine said, approaching her. "A power you are beginning to realize."

"How did you do that?" Park was astonished. "I mean - " he glanced at Caylon, sprawled on the tiled floor. "How did you _do _that?"

"I don't know, Morty," she shook her head.

"Open the Statue, Jareena," Palpatine broke in. "I'll only ask you politely so many times, and then my patience will be out."

"No, your _Highness_, I will not be the one to give you the universe."

Jenkens took in his surroundings, seeking an escape route. He knew he would not make it across the room to the double doors. He guessed that they were pretty high up, so jumping out the window was out of the question. Their only chance, then, was to attack the Guard behind them, and get out the way they had come in. The real problem was how to get Lou out, too.

"Last time, Jareena. Open my Statue, or you will have only yourself to blame for what happens." the Emperor was aware of what Jenkens was plotting.

Lou did not like the tone of his voice. She chose to try a stall tactic, though she was not sure what she was stalling for other than to delay the inevitable. She asked, "What's in it for me?"

Palpatine's gaze softened slightly, amusement flickering in his eyes. He did not see this for what it was, but rather as an opportunity for bargaining. Maybe he could get what he wanted without having to threaten her, afterall.

  



	15. Revelations

Maul made quick work of the guards in the entrance to the Imperial Palace. He motioned to the others to follow him inside, then directed them to the elevator and the lower levels, so they could find Taggart.

"You should not come across much trouble. The Emperor tries, but his Imperial Guards are still sloppy, undertrained, and therefore easily defeated."

"Easy for you to say," wesley scoffed. "You live with these guys and you know all their moves and stuff."

Maul rolled his eyes. "Go rescue your friend." he muttered, splitting off. "Hurry! You don't have much time. Palpatine by now knows we are here, and what we intend to do."

Lindsey checked the charge on his blaster, as the Sith strode away on his self-appointed mission. "Well, you heard the - _guy_." he led the way down the hall to the elevator.

"I can't believe we're doing this." Breckin shook his head.

"When will you believe it?" Nordat asked rhetorically.

Wesley watched Maul disappear around the corner. He returned his gaze to the opening elevator doors. Making up his mind, he side-stepped away form the rest of the group, then ran after Maul.

As the elevator descended, Nordat wondered, "Where's Wesley?"

"Uh..." Breckin shrugged.

"He can take care of himself." Lindsey stated gruffly, knowing full well that the young man had gone after Espen.

  


Wesley rounded the corner he had seen the Sith pass only minutes before. The corridor was grand. High-ceilinged, with wall to wall stained glass windows. He wondered how the Emperor could have possibly appreciated these, but clearly he must because he had allowed them to stay. 

Wesley's path was completely vacant as far as living adversaries went. Maul had dispatched them all on his way through. A few of the crimson-clad men lay scattered on the marble floor. He hurried along, hoping to catch up to the Sith. At the end of the corridor, he had a strong feeling to go left, however he soon found himself in front of a locked door. He keyed in the code, as if he had come up with it himself.

Trepur Espen looked up in surprise as the door slid open to reveal Wesley Giles. He rose, hand hovering over the blaster on his belt, and grinned. "I had hoped to see you again, Boy."

"Well, I'd hate to disappoint _you_, Scuzzbucket."

"Ouch, my feelings are hurt, Wes." the other feigned innocence. "I can't imagine why you'd have such contempt for me. _I_ didn't kill your father."

"Contempt? _Me?_ For _you?_ Never."

"That's good." This was the drop in guard that Espen had been waiting for. Wesley was quick of wit, but he often forgot to watch for physical threats. Within seconds he had whipped out his gun and shot the young man in the shoulder.

Wesley's reflexes had him pressing his left hand against the cauterized wound. He yelped in surprise at the burning sting, and was not paying attention to Espen. The bigger man punched him in the face, knocking him, stunned, to his knees. Blood oozed out of Wesley's nose and trailed down his face, dripping onto the beige carpet.

"Oh, now, look what you've done, Little Wes. Blood stains, y'know, and the Emperor is _very_ protective of his carpets. He'll _kill_ you for this.

"Assuming there's anything left of you when _I'm_ through, that is."

Wesley looked up at the other, wishing he had stayed with the group.

  


Darth Maul darted down the hidden passageways to the Emperor's expansive throne room in the centre of the Imperial Palace. He felt no guilt or remorse over having directed Wesley to Espen. It was what the boy had wanted, afterall: a chance for revenge.

Maul's only concern now was getting Jareena away from Palpatine.

  


"S'Ritak," the Emperor beckoned the Twi'Lek. "Maul is sneaking about my Palace. Dispose of him once and for all."

The Sith Apprentice bowed in respect, then went to the wall. An ornately carved panel in the wall slid back and to the left to reveal a secret passage. He entered, and then the panel closed behind him. Lightsabre in hand, S'Ritak Vedul sought to do battle with his Master.

_Maul, he's coming_, Lou thought over and over again.

Palpatine slapped her, then held her shocked face by her chin. "_What_ did I _tell_ you about _that_?" the old man narrowed his discoloured eyes at the Kyterian.

Lou swatted Palpatine's decrepit fingers away.

Feeling a little safer with one less adversary in the room, and with one still unconscious on the floor, Jenkens chose this time to turn on the lone Imperial Guard. He jumped to his feet, and grabbed the guard's staff away before he knew what was going on. Jenkens hit the crimson-clad man several times, forcing him to his knees.

The Emperor's head snapped in the direction of this new distraction. "You had your chance," he said to Lou, eyes flashing momentarily. The being summoned the Force, and used its harnessed energy to strike down Jenkens. The power manifested itself as blue-hot bolts of lightning, and they wrapped themselves around Jenkens, heating his body inside and out.

Jenkens screamed in pain, an awful sound that reverberated off the walls to linger, even after his steaming body had fallen to the floor.

Park and Lou both stared in shocked disbelief at the smoldering corpse of their friend. Park scampered over to Lou, as Palpatine laughed merrily.

Park's gaze locked with Lou's, and he saw that she had tears in her eyes. He swallowed hard, then allowed himself a quick glance at the still-grinning Emperor.

"I haven't done _that_ in awhile," Palpatine said jovially.

Park's eyes widened, and he turned back to Lou. "I think you should do what he says, Mi."

Lou shook her head slowly, sadly, regretfully. "I can't, Morty, I can't."

"Then I'll get to do it again."

  


_Maul, he's coming_.

The Sith's lightsabre was in his hands instantly, and his movements were more cautious. He reached out with the Force to find the threat: his apprentice.

Mere moments later, Maul sensed Jareena's distress. It was so powerful that he had to put his hand against the cold stone wall to keep himself steady.

And then S'Ritak was there.

"Here you are, Master. His Highness has sent me to dispatch you. He is tired of your meddling."

Maul ignited his sabre. "Well, you'll both be disappointed to hear that I'm not done yet."

"Maul, by the time you get through me it'll be too late for you to do anything else," Vedul lit his sabre as he spoke.

"We shall see what there is time for when I'm done with you _shortly_."

The clash of lightsabres could be heard for meters down the old passages.

  


Lindsey slid the slain guard's passcard through the lock, and the door slid open. He, Breckin, and Nordat entered the darkened room, blasters at the ready.

"Guys," Breckin's hushed voice cut through the silence. "I'm going to find Wesley. I kinda told Dee that I'd look after him for her."

"You'd never find him now, Bracket."

Breckin rolled his eyes at his Captain. "Look, Lizzy, as long as you keep getting my name wrong, I refuse to listen to you. I'm going to find Wesley, and then we will meet you back at the ship. See ya," and with that, he left feeling very proud of himself.

Nordat took Lindsey's hand, "Come on, let's find Taggart and get out of here. Breckin can take care of himself."

"He called me Lizzy."

"Yes, he did. You can reprimand him later. Taggart's gotta be around here somewhere. Let's find him so we can leave."

Lindsey nodded, following her deeper into the cavernous dungeon.

  


Obi-Wan Kenobi opened his eyes to black. He was still in the box Palpatine had left him in. The metal was cold beneath his hands, and his legs had long since cramped. He wondered how long he had been locked in there.

The Force alerted the former Jedi to two new presences in the hall, just outside the room that housed his prison. The Force? That meant that those loathesome ysalamiri must have escaped, or been taken out. Either way, Kenobi was now able to reach out to touch Lindsey's mind, and direct him to open the cell.

"Kane," Kenobi whispered gratefully.

  


"This way," Lindsey blasted the lock on the door to his right.

"How do you know?" Nordat asked.

"I just do," he pushed the door aside, the rusted hinges squeaking terribly. "Raine?" he called.

  


Kenobi banged on the sides of the contraption to make his presence known. _Let me out. Let me out. Let me out._

  


"What is it?" Nordat wondered, searching for a way to open the metal box.

"I'm not sure. But Raine's inside, I know that."

Nordat arched her eyebrow, but did not argue. "So, how do we get in? Or rather, get him out?"

Lindsey noticed for the first time the control station behind the box. He hurried over to it, and scanned the various buttons and blinking lights for one that might solve the riddle. His fingers hovered over the numbered keypad.

  


Kenobi sensed his friend's distress and reached out with the Force to guide Lindsey to the correct combination of keys.

  


Lindsey found his fingers dancing across the keys, entering a code that he did not know. _What the-?_

The keypad illuminated orange. A hiss exited the metal box, and Nordat jumped back in surprise. The sides came apart, lowering to the floor.

Kenobi rolled to the floor, squeezing his eyes shut against the sudden brightness.

"Raine!" Lindsey exclaimed, sliding over the console to his friend's side.

"Are you alright?" Nordat asked, kneeling beside him.

Kenobi nodded, trying to find his voice.

Lindsey put his hand on his shoulder. "You can explain later. Right now, we have to get out of here."

The other nodded again, and Lindsey and Nordat helped guide him to his feet. It took Kenobi a few minutes to get used to standing after days cramped in that small metal prison, but he was soon ready to walk. They hurried back to the main floor, not encountering anyone along the way.

  


Palpatine released Park's hair, and he slid to the ground, stunned. Lou slid off the throne to the floor. She cradled Park in her arms, but watched the Emperor closely. Caylon was finally awake and anxious for revenge, but the old prune would not let him near Lou.

"Raef, Kenobi has been released. Make sure he and whoever is with him do not leave."

"Yes, Sir," and he left to follow his orders. If Caylon could not harm Lou, then he would harm someone she knew.

"Good boy," Palpatine turned back to Lou. "Your friends are unnaturally determined."

She ran her fingers through Park's hair. "I know."

  


Darth Maul licked the blood from his lip where Vedul had succeeded in butting him with the end of his lightsabre.

"Admit it, Maul, you are _no match_ for me," the Twi'Lek sneered.

"Admit it, S'Ritak, your overconfidence is what will destroy you."

"Oh, pish posh. My overconfidence gives me power!" Vedul lunged at Maul with a beastial cry.

Lightsabres crashed, sparks slicing through the air at every contact. Maul forced the Twi'Lek back, then spin-kicked the weapon from his grasp. Vedul reached out with the Force, stopping the sabre's escape in mid-air.

Maul swung horizontally, but the other ducked, then low-kicked him in the gut. Maul stumbled back, and Vedul lunged again. He got his lightsabre up just in time to block the apprentice's attack.

"Getting tired, _Master_?" Vedul mocked. "Want to rest a few minutes?"

Maul roared, calling upon all the power of the Dark Side. He shoved Vedul back, kicked him in the face, then sliced down with his lightsabre, severing the Twi'Lek's body from right shoulder to left hip.

Satisfied with his kill, the Sith ran full-tilt down the hidden passage to meet his Emperor one final time.

  



	16. Winding Down the PowerPlay

Breckin rounded a corner and immediately heard voices. He listened intently, but the conversation was one-sided, and he was about to move on.

Until he heard Wesley cry out in pain.

Breckin checked the charge on his blaster. Only two shots. _Better make them count. I can't afford to miss_.

He edged closer to open the door.

"Now you die," Espen said happily.

Wesley winced at the tone of his voice. This was _not_ how he had intended this meeting to go_ at all_.

Just outside the door, Breckin took a deep calming breath, then entered the room. He aimed carefully for the man's heart.

Wesley closed his eyes, unaware of Breckin's presence. "I'm sorry, Bushroot," he whispered.

The trigger was pulled.

Espen had seen Breckin, and changed his target. Now both men dropped to the floor.

Wesley opened his eyes with a gasp as Espen fell on top of him. He shoved the bigger man aside as he got up. He kicked the gun away from Espen's reach, then looked around for his savior.

"Oh, shit," Wesley ran to Breckin, lying in the doorway. "Lance, man, talk to me!" he shook him, trying to revive him. "This isn't funny, man!" he checked for a pulse.

It was weak, but it was there.

Espen had missed Breckin's heart by mere centimeters.

A shot buried itself into the wall next to Wesley's head.

"Damn," Espen swore, aiming more carefully. "Try that again."

Wesley grabbed Breckin's blaster. "I don't _think_ so," he shot Espen in the forehead, right between the eyes.

The other fell back against the floor, dead.

"Nice shot," Breckin murmured. "Let's go now, okay?"

Wesley nodded. "You got it."

He helped Breckin to his feet, and, using each other for support, they made their way back to the _Watcher's Light_.

  


Lou lifted her hand, which glowed red once more, to the Statue of Ongrel. Palpatine was holding the tray and smiling. Park watched in horror, but was unable to do anything to stop it. The energy had been completely drained from him.

The Statue took on the same glow as Lou's hands, and then the sides clicked and opened down.

Palpatine's laugh grew, echoing off the walls.

A single tear rolled down her cheek, a symbol of her defeat.

She knew what was to come.

The doors swung open, and Maul entered, running, lightsabre ablaze. "Jareena, come away from there!" he ordered.

"It's too late, Maul," Palpatine stated, setting the platform and statue on the table at the centre of the room. He then turned on his former apprentice, eyes full of contentment. "You, Sir, have caused me more trouble in the past couple of days than the effort worth putting forth to kill you."

Maul's lightsabre was thrown from his hand, as blue Force lightning wracked his body relentlessly.

"No!" Lou screamed, but this time she did not open her eyes to find herself elsewhere. Her mind raced. What could she do? Somehow she had to harness her power and direct it at Palpatine as she had done to Caylon.

_But how did I do that_?

Palpatine ceased his barrage on Maul. He turned to Lou, "Aren't you going to help him, Jareena? As you did your friend Park?"

Lou met Maul's gaze, but she could not read his expression. _I don't know what to do_, she mouthed.

He mouthed back, _Distract him_.

Palpatine was too busy laughing to catch the response.

Lou turned to the Emperor's cold eyes. She had an idea, but she had to make it good; Palpatine would know that she was lying. "Your new heart is dying, Palpatine."

He cast a look at the Statue. "It is not."

"Yes, it is," she closed her eyes, 'connecting' with the organ. "It cannot survive in this air. It has been inside the pyramid for so long, it can't adapt. If you're going to make the switch, it had better be now."

The Emperor probed her mind for any sign of deception.

He found none.

He nodded to the man in the black robes, who then hurried away to get the needed tools and help.

"Very well."

Maul rolled, picking up his weapon in the process. He charged at Palpatine, both ends of the lightsabre lit.

But the Emperor knew he was coming. He grabbed Lou off the throne, and held her before him as protection.

Maul skidded to a halt, turning off his sabre just before he stabbed her.

"Throw it away, Maul," Palpatine commanded. The other did not move. "I can crush her skull just by thinking it. Now, toss your weapon away."

Maul did as he was told.

Three men dressed in identical black robes lined with silver entered. Each carried a slew of surgical utensils. They stopped dead in their tracks.

"Get everything ready," the Emperor told them.

Park crawled over to the table where the Statue of Ongrel awaited attention. He peered at the heart over the edge. _That withered old thing is the source of all our troubles_?

Wrinkling his nose in disgust, he picked up the heart.

"My liege - " the three men pointed as one at Park and the heart.

Palpatine whirled around, throwing Lou to the floor. He realized too late what was happening.

Park dropped the heart, and proceeded to stomp on it until it was nothing more than useless mush.

"No!" through his panic, Palpatine could not muster the Force to counter Park's actions.

Maul grabbed Lou's arm, pulling her to her feet. "Are you alright?" he asked, making sure she was behind him when Palpatine found his rage.

She nodded. "Help Morty."

Maul held out his hand, and his lightsabre flew to it. He kissed her briefly, then turned to Palpatine, who had indeed found his rage, and was focussing it on Park.

"Let him go," the Sith ordered.

"Shortly. He won't last much longer."

This glib remark sparked the anger in Lou. She directed a red ball of her own energy at the Emperor, causing him to collapse to his knees.

Park gasped, filling his lungs with air.

"Let's go," Lou told Maul. "His plans are foiled, there's nothing more he can do."

"There is lots he can and will do," Maul hissed through clenched teeth.

Lou helped Park to his feet, supporting him. "We've all had enough of this, Maul. Let's find the others and get out of here."

"You'll never make it off this floor," Palpatine growled as the alarm began to sound.

  


"Oh, _now_ it goes off," Wesley shook his head, as he and Breckin crossed into the first row of bushes in front of the Imperial Palace.

"Yeah, it does seem kinda late," the other agreed.

Ahead of them, the pair could see Lindsey, Nordat, and Taggart.

"Oh, good, they're alright," Wesley said. "But where's Maul?"

"I'm sure he's on his way with Lou, Park, and Jenkens," Breckin replied with a shrug.

  


Maul sliced the Imperial Guard in half. The three of them were almost to the exit; he could see it in his mind's eye just around the next corner.

And so were two dozen more Guards.

"This is not going to be easy," he told Lou. He tossed her one of the slain men's blasters. "I'll protect you, but just in case I miss one."

She charged the weapon. "Or two."

"There won't be two."

They entered the main foyer, and Maul set to work, cutting down every guard in his path. Lou and Park waited for their path to be cleared out of harm's way.

A guard whom Maul had thought dead got to his feet behind the Sith.

Lou aimed and fired.

One.

And then they were all dead. Maul turned to Lou and smiled. "I told you there would not be two."

"You do good work," Park conceded to Maul.

Ten minutes later they reached the _Watcher's Light_, where everyone was waiting outside.

Wesley and Breckin were the first ones onboard, followed closely by Lindsey, who hurried to the Bridge.

Deanna's eyes brimmed with tears at the sight of her brother and boyfriend - ? - using each other as a crutch.

"I brought him back," they said in unison, then laughed.

Deanna smiled, hugging them both. "Let's get you two fixed up," she said.

"What happened to Jenkens?" Nordat asked.

"He didn't make it," Park responded quietly.

"Oh."

"Where's your Med deck?" Lou asked Deanna. "Morty needs some attention, too."

"Yeah, follow me."

Maul went to the Bridge, anxious to say goodbye to this loathesome planet.

  



	17. Arrr The End

Deanna knocked on the metal wall to get Wesley's attention. He was fixing something that kept sparking. "Hey, Scruffy," she said when he did not notice her.

Wesley looked up from his work, "Oh, hey,"

"What's that?"

"The, um, deck two hall lights."

"Really?" He nodded, then went back to his wiring. "Are you okay? I feel like you're...distant somehow." Wesley shrugged. She always could tell when he was trying to hide something. "Is it about Espen?" He shook his head. "Me?" He shook his head again. "Then what?"

Wesley sighed. "He could've gotten himself killed, Bushroot."

"Lance?"

He nodded. "He saved my life."

"A lot of people saved a lot of lives."

"Yeah, but he did it for you."

Deanna sat down on the deck beside her twin. "I don't know about that. Either way, I'm glad I still have you both."

"You're _lucky_ you still have us both."

"That too," she agreed, putting her head on his shoulder.

  


* * *

  


Park sat up, and brushed the hair out of his eyes. This proved futile, as it just fell back to where it had been. He grumbled something that was incoherent through the pain drugs, then grinned. He was alive, and that was more important than the pain. The pain that he couldn't feel through the drugs.

"You're up," Lou smiled at him.

Park turned his head to the left, seeing her for the first time. "Am I s'posed to feel like this?"

"Like what?"

He held his arms out like wings, "Like I'm flying."

Lou cast a glance at the sheepish Deanna. "Oops," was all the girl said.

"I'm gonna say no, you're not s'posed to feel like you're flying."

"I didn't know how much to give you. You passed out, what was I supposed to do? Besides," Deanna pointed at Park's goofy doped-up grin, "I'd say you like it."

"It's nice," he conceded lazily. He turned back to Lou. "You saved my life, Mi. You and your crazy magic saved my life."

"Yeah, I - " 

Park kissed her on the lips in the midst of her sentence. He pulled back, saying, "Thank you, Mi,"

"Uh...you're welcome," she said, still reeling from his sudden display of affection.

"We won't tell Maul about that one. Wes was right, he's scary."

Lou laughed. "No, he's not! That's just the drugs talking."

"You hope," Park added with a wink. He yawned. "I think I'll go to sleep again." he rolled over on the cot, and was out almost immediately.

Deanna stood over Breckin. He grinned up at her. "Will I live, Doc?"

"I'm pretty sure you'll pull through, yes," she stroked his cheek lovingly. "Does your shoulder hurt?"

"Not really."

"Thank you."

"What for?"

"You saved my brother's life. He told me what happened. He'd never say as much, but he appreciates what you did."

"I was just keeping a promise to a beautiful girl."

Deanna smiled and kissed him.

  


Raine Taggart wheeled a chair from one of the other stations over to where Lindsey sat in the pilot's seat. Nordat was beside him, watching the stars go by.

"Kane, I have a long complicated story to tell you," Taggart said.

"I know you do. But the thing is, Obi-Wan, I already know it."

The other smiled, nodding. "You knew all along."

"It's the Captain's job to know his crew, Raine. But it doesn't matter; everyone has the right to start over with a new life without being judged for their old one."

Taggart offered Lindsey his hand. "Thank you."

They shook.

Lou and Maul entered the Bridge hand-in-hand. They strode off to the side, not wanting to interrupt.

"What can I do for you two?" Lindsey finally asked.

"I was just curious as to what became of Caylon?" Lou inquired.

"Who?" Nordat asked.

"Raef Caylon. Palpatine sent him after you when you rescued him," she nodded at Taggart.

"We never saw him," Taggart replied.

Lou and Maul exchanged curious glances. "You never saw him?"

  


Raef Caylon set his course for Tattooine, where he could seek refuge with the notorious Jabba the Hutt. He had had business dealings with the Hutt before, and found his company favourable compared to that of Palpatine.

Oh, the evil Emperor would not be fun to hang around with after his plan had been foiled.

Especially since Caylon had left as opposed to tracking down Palpatine's escaping quarry.

No, life would definitely be safer on Tattooine.

Little did he know that the Emperor had already arranged to have him killed on sight in the hangar.

  


* * * 

  


Maul stood outside the door to Lou's quarters. He closed his eyes, touching her mind with his own. She acknowledged him, and he entered to room. 

Lou was seated behind the desk, facing the door. She smiled at him, sensing that he was content to just stand and stare at her. She got up and went to him. "You came for me," Lou cupped Maul's cheek with her hand.

"What else were you expecting?"

She gazed into his eyes for a long time before answering. "I wasn't expecting anything." she realized, "I knew you would come."

"I don't know how or why, but I love you, Jareena."

She smiled again. "Call me Mi."

They kissed passionately.

  


  


  


**THE END**

  


  


  


Arrr, thar, she's done. Thanks fer all yer reviews and kind werds and most of all fer puttin' up with my procrastinatin', me Mateys. Arrr, yer prolly wonderin' why I'm talkin' like a pirrrrate. Well, I'll tells ya, me Mateys. Cuz I can, arrr. Ain't no one can argue wi' that. So, tells me what yer all thinkin' 'bout my endin'. Was it evrithin' ya weres hopin' fer? Excellent, excellent. Goodnight.

  


Special note for Fuzzy Elf: Are ya happy now? Eh? EH? I thought so. =8-)

  



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